Quote:
Originally Posted by David Hayward
What caused that ice age?
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Several causes have been proposed: cyclical lows in solar radiation, heightened volcanic activity, changes in the ocean circulation, an inherent variability in global climate, or decreases in the human population. While not a true ice age, the term was introduced into the scientific literature by François E. Matthes in 1939. It may be conventionally defined as a period extending from the 16th to the 19th centuries, or about 1350 to about 1850.