Earth’s Climate History

Earth’s climate history is marked by natural fluctuations over millions of years, driven by factors like volcanic activity, Earth's orbit, and solar energy. These changes have included ice ages, when glaciers expanded, and warm periods, when temperatures rose. Over the past few thousand years, the climate remained relatively stable until the Industrial Revolution, when human activities—mainly burning fossil fuels—began to significantly increase greenhouse gases. This has led to recent global warming, impacting weather patterns, sea levels, and ecosystems worldwide. Understanding this history helps us recognize natural climate variability and the profound influence humans now have on Earth's climate system.