What Causes Global Warming?
A lot of research has already gone into the possible causes of global warming. Research is continuing and it is true that there are many elements of Global warming which we don't yet understand.
We do know that the earth's climate has gone through dramatic changes at many times in the past. You might have heard of Ice Ages where the earth cooled down and was mostly covered in ice. Accompanying these ice ages the earth also has had periods of much higher temperatures, higher in fact that the present. These changes have previously always been caused by external factors, examples of which include:
- Volcanic activity
Volcanoes release huge amounts of gas and ash which can amplify the greenhouse effect and therefore heat up the atmosphere.
- Solar Activity
The sun goes through periods of volatility where it outputs more heat. These are often seen in the form of solar flares and can affect the temperature of the earth dramatically.
- Orbit changes
The earth's orbit around the sun goes through cyclical variations so that the two are not always the same distance apart. Obviously the further the earth is from it's heat source, the sun, the cooler it will be, and the closer they are together, the higher temperates on earth will rise.
Recently, however, there has been evidence of a much higher and faster rise in temperature than ever before. Whether this has been caused by humans or not is still under debate, but it seems likely. Check our 'Are Humans the Cause of Global Warming' section for more information.
