What is an ice age?
An ice age is a long geological interval with large persistent continental ice sheets on Earth.
How it works and key principles
Glacial cycles: An ice age can contain colder glacial periods and warmer interglacials. Changes in Earth’s orbit alter seasonal sunlight distribution; greenhouse gases, oceans and ice reflectivity can amplify or moderate responses. No single factor explains every change.
Evidence, examples and limits
Evidence and today: Ocean sediments, ice cores, glacial landforms and fossils reveal past climates. Today is a warm interglacial within a broader ice age, with ice sheets remaining in Antarctica and Greenland. Past natural cycles do not negate present human-caused warming.
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