What causes global climate change? Could it be something as simple as a decrease in the sun's activity?

Do you know what causes global climate change? More importantly, do you have an answer that you’re confident in? If you’re like many people, your answer might be something along the lines of, It’s complicated. But that really isn’t the case. In fact, there are several well-known reasons why our climate changes over time. The problem is that it’s not always easy to see which factors play the largest roles in global climate change.

The sun's role in climate change

In order to understand how the sun might contribute to climate change, we need to first explore some of its more general properties. The sun is our closest star, and because it is so close and provides us with light and heat, Earth is often referred to as the blue planet. This is true because without the sun, there would be no life on Earth. However, this relationship can also work in reverse: if Earth did not exist at all then the Sun would have no planets orbiting around it. That means that without Earth and its gravitational pull, all of those heavenly bodies would fly off into space - leaving our star lonely.

How a decrease in the sun's activity could cause global cooling

It was originally believed that the increase of carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases has caused global warming. But what if the increased activity on our planet is actually due to decreased solar activity? 

The Earth receives energy from two main sources: solar and geothermal. Solar energy is supplied by our star, while geothermal energy comes from radioactive decay. Together these sources make up more than 90% of Earth's heat. It was previously thought that an increase in carbon dioxide levels would cause global warming because these greenhouse gases are able to trap heat within our atmosphere. But what if there were another explanation? What if less solar radiation was reaching Earth because of decreased solar activity?

The evidence for a link between the sun and climate change

A recent study found that solar activity has been decreasing since 2008, and that this correlates with an increase in global temperature. Researchers believe that the decreased solar activity has led to fewer cosmic rays entering Earth's atmosphere, which has led to less cloud formation and increased temperatures. 

There is still much more research needed before scientists can definitively say that there is a link between solar cycles and climate change. But if they're right, then we may just have found one of the simplest ways to prevent future warming.

The potential implications of a decrease in the sun's activity on global climate

A recent study has found that a significant decrease in solar activity could cause global cooling. This would have far-reaching implications for our planet and all life on Earth, including human beings. If this were to happen, there would be much more ice and snow at the poles and much less of these at lower latitudes. The mean temperature over land surfaces could drop by up to 10 °C (18 °F) and sea surface temperatures by up to 3-5 °C (5-9 °F). Areas around the Arctic Ocean would have a huge surplus of water and areas near the Antarctic Ocean would have increasing precipitation. Many people may believe that this is just an exaggeration, but what if it happened today?