REVIEW: Summary

Summary

Biodisel is a form of fossil fuel that burns more cleanly than regular oil or gasoline. Photo courtesy of jurvetson/Flickr. 

• Earth's climate has changed many times throughout its history. 
• Periods when temperatures are cooler than average are known as ice ages
• Periods when temperatures are warmer than average (or in between ice ages) are known as interglacials
• Climate change has been a natural process in Earth's history. Recent global warming is due mainly to human actions though, such as burning fossil fuels
• Over the past ~150 years (since the Industrial Revolution), climate has warmed quickly
• The burning of fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases into the air and enhances Earth's natural greenhouse effect
• Global warming refers to the overall warming of Earth's global temperatures. Not all areas experience a warmer climate, however. Some areas experience drastically changing temperatures and precipitation patterns.
• Global warming leads to the melting of the ice sheets and sea level rise, which impacts ecosystems and coastal communities