New Ice Age Theory

amigoro writes "Most believe that the ice ages are the result of subtle changes in Earth's orbit, known as the Milankovitch cycles. According to one scientist, that is not the case. Robert Ehrlich of George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, has developed a model which hypothesizes a dimmer switch inside the sun that causes its brightness to rise and fall on timescales of around 100,000 or 41,000 years, exactly the same period as between ice ages on Earth. The main problem with Milankovitch cycles is that they can't explain how the ice ages go from 100,000 year cycle to 41,000 year cycle. The cycles predicted by Ehlrich's model line up with the observations."

I Hope

[Zonnald]

No one tries the old venerable "Frost Post"

Human Caused

[_Sharp'r_]

This guy's theories are all wrong. Obviously people are causing the 100,000 - 41,000 year cycles. Someone should take away his meterology license...

Old News

[tignom]

So the new model is heliocentric instead of geocentric. I thought we made this switch centuries ago.

70500 +/- 29500 years, easy!

[Anonymous Coward]

See, I learned something in all those science experiment classes.

OTOH the check word says the "contrary". Maybe the author should use this system to find the solution.

Re:To the Retard who Posted this Story

[prettything]

the article doesnt say that, and every ice age so far predates the industrial revolution.... if you read the article that is... you are the one who is the one who is retarded!

Re:Human Caused

[StikyPad]

I think you mean meatier.. meetior.. metear.. weather man license.

Re:Old News

[Anonymous Coward]

We did, but it wasn't until we declassified Pluto as a planet that all of the astrology star charts started to line up. Now they're actually accurate. Today my horoscope read: "things should be going quite well in many parts of your life." Hit the nail on the head right there!

I've heard that some expert astrologers have predicted that "the weather may get colder for a period and then warm up at a later date or it might get warmer first and then cool off at a later date." It sounds like they've got a better grip on this issue than most of the so-called climate scientists and astronomers (not real scientists since they don't have an -ology). When will people learn that the so-called physical laws are but mere manifestations of the stars and planets positions in space. You don't understand the meaning of a book by looking at the shape of the letter 's' nor should you understand the universe by playing with pendulums, springs, and nuclear fusion.

This is ridiculous

[Anonymous Coward]

If most scientists believe that the Milankovitch cycles cause Ice Ages, then it must be true. This is just like the consensus on Global Warming. If this guy doesn't believe that the Milankovitch cycles are the cause, then he's obviously being paid off by some corporation for some reason. Milankovitch cycles are SETTLED SCIENCE. This guy needs to stop being a skeptic and start researching how we can stop these cycles!

Re:Human Caused

[kfg]

Obviously people are causing the 100,000 - 41,000 year cycles.

OMG!!! We need to save the Sun!

KFG

Luckily...

[jpellino]

there's a Home Depot just an a.u. down the road - we should ve able to swap that out with a longer cycle dimmer and all will be well.

Conclusion!

[Xybot]

Obviously mans careless use of the environment on earth is the root cause of this heliocentric dimming phenomenon. I call for an immediate halt to deforestation and burning of fossil fuels that initiate the anti-dimming process via subatomic sympathetic astrological particles (SSAP)!!

hmm

[minus_273]

natural global cooling? with scientific backing? this sounds like a global warming denier. he should lose his licence and prosecuted in nuremberg style war crimes courts! quick, someone tell al gore!

Re:Real source

[Anonymous Coward]

Oh for Christ's sake, really, those mountains HAVE to be less than 6,000 years old. Don't you know anything?

Republicans and Corporations Are To Blame

[Anonymous Coward]

They must be. They're the cause of everything wrong in the world.

Re:Human Caused

[bricko]

This is going to upset the Weather Lady to no end..... Maybe she can get a job with Vivid Entertainment. I can see her and Al together now....

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:Human Caused

[Undefined Parameter]

Damn -- not only is Porky Pig still alive, he's posting to Slashdot!

Dimmer switch...a competing viewpoint.

[nixkuroi]

One competing viewpoint with this theory is that these events were caused by a solar "Clapper" which flipped the sun when bombarded with echoes and reverberations from the big bang. This non-viewpoint is endorsed by non-dimmer switch oriented non-scientists but these non-scientist find it more plausible...in lots of ways.

SUV Caused

[flyingfsck]

Nope, it is caused by Suburbans, HMVs and Expeditions. Obviously even the dinosaurs had SUVs - the ice ages prove it.

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:To the Retard who Posted this Story

[Anonymous Coward]

Oh! Thanks! Who knew winter is actually caused by Santa's exhuast fumes?

Damn, if we could clean that atomosphere up then we wouldn't need to be bothered by seasonal weather!!!11!one!

I knew all along that slight tilt of the earth couldn't affect the weather!

Re:I'm pretty sure this was on TV

[Tablizer]

I saw an episode of "Andromeda" where the system's sun would go out every hundred years or so...life imitates TV? (anyone know which epi it wuz?)

That was CNN covering the Bagdad power grid.
     

Re:Old News

[nmb3000]

So when is a new model going to look past the edges of our solar system?

The guy's on crack.

The real reason behind the ice ages is the Sun's evil sister-star: Nemesis [wikipedia.org].

According to my scientific analysis, it just so happens that Nemesis orbits our solar system once every 100,000 or 41,000 years, exactly the same period as between ice ages on Earth. As the rouge star passes closest to the Sun, it triggers an influx of neutrino emissions in the star's inner core of dark matter. This results in an ion-theta flux imbalance which reduces the star's luminosity by a factor of omega/psi.

As everyone knows, the main problem with Milankovitch cycles is that they can't explain how the ice ages go from 100,000 year cycle to 41,000 year cycle. The cycles predicted by the Nemesis Model line up with the observations, and thus the model is proven. Now go buy my book.

Caused by God

[EmbeddedJanitor]

God is getting too cheap to pay the heating bill so he's turned down the thermostat.

This probably is a precursor for the Second Coming. Unlike the first kid who dropped out of carpentry class, the next kid wants to go to college and he needs to save up.

Re:hmm

[Daniel Dvorkin]

Since folks like you think the earth is only 6000 years old, I'm surprised you're paying any attention at all.

Re:Socrates would be disappointed

[Harmonious Botch]

beginning with a conclusion and finding reasons to justify it, regardless of where the evidence points.

Also known as earning tenure.

Dimmer Switch theory would explain . . .

[StefanJ]

. . . that damn annoying hum.

Re:Human Caused

[thunderpaws]

All this time I thought it was effect caused by all those politicians sticking their fingers in the air to see which way the wind blows.

Re:Old News

[Jesus_666]

As the rouge star passes closest to the Sun, it triggers an influx of[...]

...lipstick emmissions and mascara protuberances in what is known as a coronal makeup ejection (CME). This causes gothmagnetic storms, during which our planet goes through a goth phase and clothes mainly in black clouds, thus keeping sunlight from the planet's surface and everything becomes cold.

Re:Human Caused

[shadowbearer]

In order to do that, first we must declare war on it...

  SB

A Dimmer Switch?!?!

[Anne_Nonymous]

>> a model which hypothesizes a dimmer switch inside the sun

No, seriously? That must be how they get it to be all dark and stuff at night.

Re:NOT GUILTY: I am NOT a Google SHI?? !!

[Anonymous Coward]

You know you labelled yourself a douche bag. Not that I've ever seen or even know what a douche bag is. Something from the feminine persuation I will suppose, and that you are a member of the he-man women hater club.

Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich

[c0d3h4x0r]

Most believe that the ice ages are the result of subtle changes in Earth's orbit, known as the Milankovitch cycles.

Whereas I believe that the ice ages are the result of subtle changes in John Malkovich's moods, known as the Malkovich cycles.

Re:Caused by God

[Zeek40]

I was wondering why he kept sending his annoying employees to ask me for money.

Ice Age

[dlhm]

The sun causes the Ice Age, but doesn't have any significant effect when Global warming is involved, only human can warm the earth... mostly conservitive humans.. :)

Telegram from God

[Khammurabi]

Dear Earth,

Which one of you apes put the sponge in the cosmic microwave?

- God