Will there be an Ice Age in another 15 years?

There are rumors spreading about an ice age that will arise in another 15 years and is all over social media. Several days back, there were views being expressed and exchanged in countries worldwide, including Sri Lanka. Here are some interesting takes on the statement we found on Social Media.

Discussions about a potential ice age in the world started in 2015. It is said that 30 years after 2015, that is, by 2030, there will be a minor ice age.

There are 3 groups of people in the world.

1. Those that believe in global warming and take steps to control it.
2. Those skeptical about global warming believe it to be an illusion. They think that the global temperature needs to be further increased for the sake of the world’s survival in preparation for an imminent mini-ice age.
3. Those who don’t believe in global temperature changes consider it irrelevant.

How does an ice age occur? Is it likely to happen within 15 years?

Our Fact Crescendo team contacted Professor Chandana Jayaratne of the Physics Department at the University of Colombo to find out more about these theories of a potential Ice Age in the future.

According to him, ice ages are recurring events, and there is a pattern. Accordingly, a huge ice age occurs once in a hundred thousand years. Normal ice ages occur once every 41000 years, and mini ice ages occur once every 25800 years. Ice ages occur periodically due to the movements of the earth.

Due to changes in the Earth’s orbit and orientation, ice ages occur from time to time. Every 41,000 years, the inclination of the axis of the Earth increases and decreases. The shape of the Earth’s orbit changes once every 96,000 years. And once in 25800 years, the earth’s axis moves. As a result of these, the ice will not melt even after the winter season, and an ice age will begin.

The last ice age was about 11,000 years ago. Although it is clearly possible that another Ice Age could occur with the Earth’s movements, it will take thousands of years. Not a single opportunity from the above-mentioned cycles will arise within 15 years.

The global temperature is more inclined to increase, considering the current climate change conditions. With that, it is difficult to assume that the temperature conditions will reverse in another 15 years.

However, according to Prof. Chandana Jayaratne, such an ice age can be created due to some specific phenomenon currently occurring in the world. Due to severe dust storms or similar events, a large layer of dust or any other covering layer is deposited in the atmosphere. This prevents sunlight and most of the solar radiation from hitting the earth. This causes the Earth’s interior to cool down a lot, and the situation could gradually develop into an Ice Age.

FACT

But there are no reports that such an event will happen in the next few years. Therefore, the published opinion confirming that there will be an ice age in the next 15 years is false.

Although such a situation was somehow possible during that period, it is not a situation found or confirmed according to climate and space science data. There is a very low probability that such a situation will occur only as a result of some accidental change.

Is global warming a hoax?

As mentioned earlier, one part of the world opposes the concept of global warming. Here they present different arguments. They say that even if the global temperature rises, the environmental temperature may not rise too much.

Thus, efforts are being made to raise the global temperature in order to control the situation and prevent the ice age that is likely to come before us. They say this is the best way to avoid the coming ice age. Click here, and find out more.

Also, read more about Why is it so cold if global warming is a reality? On our website.

Is Global Warming the Solution to the Ice Age?

Some people in the world believe that global warming will hinder the coming ice age, while others believe that global warming will help usher in an ice age. Find reports of different opinions attached here and here.

However, since 2015, there have been rumors about an ice age occurring in the next 15 years, and there have been no reports or news with acceptable evidence of such a situation.

But there is a very low probability of such a situation occurring due to some random and rare event. However, no research report has yet been released about such a case.

-With Inputs from Mihiri Saparamadhu –