Sunspot theory: The number of dark spots on the sun affects how much solar energy is being produced, More dark spots means more solar energy = Warmer periods i.e. Medieval Warm Period, Fewer dark spots means less solar energy = Cooler periods i.e. Little Ice Age, Orbital theory: The amount of solar energy a place receives is affected by the Earth's orbit, Eccentricity - It takes 100,000 years to change from a more circular to a more elliptical orbit, Axial tilt - The Earth's axis tilts and straightens over 41,000 years, Precession - It takes 26,000 for the Earth's axis to wobble and straighten up again, Eruption theory: Ash and gas exploding from a volcano , Exploded ash and gas blocks sunlight and lowers the temperature, Mount Pinatubo eruption in 1991 caused the climate to cool by 0.5 degrees for a year, Surface impact theory: Similar to eruption theory, If a huge asteroid struck Earth large amounts of rock and dust would be emitted in to the atmosphere, The debris from an asteroid strike would block sunlight and lower temperatures, It is though dinosaurs went extinct as a result of the impact a huge asteroid strike had on Earth,

Natural causes of climate change

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