if global warming and poloution is bringing on the next ice age, what caused the last ice age?

Answer 1

Many glacial periods have occurred during the last few million years, initially at 40,000-year frequency but more recently at 100,000-year frequencies. These are the best studied. There have been four major ice ages in the further past.

The timing of ice ages throughout geologic history is in part controlled by the position of the continental plates on the surface of the Earth. When landmasses are concentrated near the polar regions, there is an increased chance for snow and ice to accumulate. Small changes in solar energy can tip the balance between summers in which the winter snow mass completely melts and summers in which the winter snow persists until the following winter. Due to the positions of Greenland, Antarctica, and the northern portions of Europe, Asia, and North America in polar regions, the Earth today is considered prone to ice age glaciations.

Who knows if global warming will cancel out the next one?

Answer 2

You know what's really stupid? When people say that changes in earths climate have been happening forever. Okay, true enough.

But is that an excuse to speed along the progress of another one?

Oh yeah, another reason is because the Earths orbit can very slightly. A little further away from the sun and this place is a big snowball.

Answer 3

hmmm, ok in view that no person have been given it yet, its the milankovitch cycles. There are 3 cycles wherein the earths axis and orbit adjustments gradually. there's a coarse one hundred,000 cycle wherein the orbit will become extra elliptical, inflicting us to be farther faraway from the sunlight for the period of the top of two of the seasons. we've ice a protracted time as quickly as we are on the farthest ingredient away for the period of the northern hemisphere summer season, and iciness. We get like 21% much less photograph voltaic from the sunlight whilst on the a techniques factors from the sunlight in the time of that ingredient, so which you will think of how that would result the northern hemisphere for the period of the summer season and iciness. The winters have been brutally chilly and the summers werent heat sufficient to soften the snow %. from the previous iciness. So there is how your ice age happens. Im unlikely over the different 2 milankovitch cycles as a results of fact I dont think of they're as significant as a results of fact the perfect, one hundred,000 twelve months cycle, so look the different 2 up, Im no longer typing it out. The ice age ends as a results of fact the summers get warmer, and the winters get warmer as a results of fact the orbit looses its eccentricity, and could become extra around over the years. nicely suited now, we recieve 7% much less photograph voltaic in the time of two seasons of the twelve months, I dont comprehend how its lined up nicely suited now, for which hemispheres. It would desire to no longer be sufficient for all people to word.

Answer 4

a number of different things. The biggest one was that time period was very seismicly volitile. From what I have read there were 100+ Krakatoa level volcanic eruptions and a lot of less extreme eruptions in a very short (geologically) period of time. This level of green house gas released by the volcanic activity is what caused the ice age.

Answer 5

A change in the Earth's orbit around the Sun...apparently

Answer 6

tectonic plates moving = volcano's = too much monoxide = global warming = ice age

Answer 7

i have been saying this for years, the earth goes through natural changes.

Answer 8

It certainly wasn't the arrogance of man.

Answer 9

YEAH COOL QUESTION, I THINK HUMANS WERE HERE BEFORE AND SCREWED IT UP MAYBE HAD A NUCLEAR WAR AND DESTROYED EVERYTHING, I THINK IT WAS EINSTEIN WHO SAID WORLD WAR 3 WILL BE FOUGHT WITH GUNS AND BOMBS, WORLD WAR 4 WILL BE FOUGHT WITH STICKS AND STONES.

Answer 10

We are not changing the Earth, it has been changing forever.