I was once told in school that an ice age happens about every 10,000 years and the last one was over 10,000 years ago. Has climate change slowed this process or am I missing something? I'm sure there are smart people who can help me with this.
The earth apparently periodically goes through stages of being warm. Climate change has caused the seasons/weather to act very strangely. I can't see there being a worldwide ice age unless something is done to reverse climate change.
Indeed we are, though with all of the emissions manis putting into the air, we are rapidly exiting it.
There was a mini ice age in the middle ages. Not sure about the century, but it was less than a thousand years ago. I'd be more inclined to say we're in a hot period now. Where did you get the "every 10,000 years" figure?
Very interesting! Thanks a lot! ^ ^ ---------- Post added 23rd Jun 2014 at 12:07 AM ---------- That's a good point about the middle ages one. Not really sure where it's from... I think I was in like elementary school when I heard it. Might of even been another kid tbh :icon_redf
We're in a cold period now. Not exactly ice age, but also not in a hot period. When Earth in in a hot period, it doesn't have polar caps. During an really cold Ice Age temperature of Earth is about 4 degrees Celsius lower. During a hot period Earth is about 4-10 degrees Celsius hotter. If we keep our current emissions of CO2 (Which is actually hard, because of economy and population growth), Earth will be about 4.5 degrees hotter by the end of the century... That means that even if an Ice Age should start by now, it can't really happen because Earth is getting hotter extremely fast (in a geological scale).
As other's have said, we're in a coldish period, but not an ice age. The next one is due in about 70 000 years. However, as has also been noted, we're well on our way to preventing ice ages with our CO2 emissions.
I'd welcome another ice age. I don't think we're in one now. I haven't seen any woolly mammoths about, and hardy even a woolly sweater, for that matter. Too hot, here, and the cold has a way of killing off nasty insects and germs. Not to mention, I like snow.
My geography teacher told us that we're on a warmer period and it's getting warmer also naturally. I'm confused.
