Global Warming Could Forestall Ice Age by Andrew C. Revkin

These days, global warming is one of the most discussed and argued about topics in the news. Some people don't believe that we as humans could have any adverse effect on the huge planet that we call earth. Others believe that we as humans are the main reason why we have so many problems on earth. According to the article "Global Warming Could Forestall Ice Age" global warming is a serious issue, and not only is it real, but it is possible that it is preventing an Ice age from occurring. According to the article “human activity is not only warming the globe, particularly the Arctic, but could also even fend off what had been presumed to be an inevitable descent into a new ice age over the next few dozen millenniums." To prove this statement a team of scientists recorded samples of layered lakebed mud, glacial ice and tree rings from Alaska to Siberia that showed the reversal of the slow cooling trend.                       Even more studies have shown that the Arctic region has been going through an unusual warming period.  So what is causing this global warming epidemic in the first place? Global warming is caused by the buildup of Green house gases. The green house gases make it impossible for the sun’s rays to escape the atmosphere. The more greenhouse gases that get into the atmosphere, the hotter the earth is going to become. According to author Jonathan T. Overpeck, a climate specialist from the University of Arizona, the rising concentration of greenhouse gases are indeed warming at a pace that could stress earths ecosystems, and could cause massive melting of Greenland's great ice sheet.          It is believed that 17 ice ages are thought to have come and gone in last two million years. Our last ice age ended about 11,000 years ago. The next ice age is expected to be in the next 20,000 to 30,000 years if you don't include any human influence. But with human actions causing such strain on the earth’s natural courses, it is believed by Dr. Overpeck that we could easily skip the next opportunity for an ice age all together. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/04/science/earth/04arctic.html?_r=1&ref=science