Particle.news
Download on the App Store
5 ARTICLES
·
last mo.

Study Links Earth's Ice Age Cycles to Orbital Shifts, Predicts Disruption from Human Emissions

New research reveals the predictable patterns of Earth's glacial cycles driven by orbital changes, but warns that human-induced climate change may delay the next ice age by tens of thousands of years.

Image
Majestic Iceberg Rising Above Ocean Waters in a Mysterious Arctic Seascape Scene
Scientists have long recognized a connection between Earth's orbit and ice ages, but until recently struggled to pinpoint which orbital parameters were responsible for starting and ending these glacial cycles
Study Reveals How Earth's Orbit Triggers Ice Ages, And There's One in The Next 11,000 Years

Overview

  • Scientists have confirmed that Earth's glacial cycles over the past 900,000 years are driven by predictable changes in its orbit, tilt, and wobble relative to the Sun.
  • Without human influence, the next ice age was projected to begin in approximately 10,000–11,000 years, with glaciation potentially already underway according to natural patterns.
  • The study highlights how greenhouse gas emissions from human activity have disrupted these natural cycles, likely delaying the next ice age by tens to hundreds of thousands of years.
  • The research provides a clearer understanding of the 100,000-year cycle of glaciation and deglaciation, solving a long-standing mystery in paleoclimate science.
  • Scientists aim to use these findings to model Earth's natural climate trajectory and better quantify the long-term impacts of human-induced climate change.