task A

1. TASK A
1. Is climate change a natural process or human made?
Climate change is a term that refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and
weather patterns on Earth. Some of these shifts may be natural, such as
through variations in the solar cycle or the Earth's orbit. However, since the
1800s, human activities have been the main driver of climate change, primarily
due to burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas. These activities release large
amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere,
which trap heat and enhance the natural greenhouse effect. This causes the
planet to warm faster than it would otherwise, with serious consequences for
ecosystems and human well-being.
2. What is the main effect of the climate change of the last 10 000
years?
The main effect of the climate change of the last 10 000 years is that the
annual global temperature today is the warmest of the past 10 000 years. This
is contrary to previous thought, that believed the 'Holocene thermal
maximum' was still exceeding the current annual temperature. The findings of
a new study challenge long-held views on the temperature history in the
Holocene era, which began about 12 000 years ago. The modern society’s
continued dependence on fossil fuels is warming the world at a pace that is
unprecedented in the past 2 000 years. The effects of this warming are already
apparent as record droughts, wildfires and floods devastate communities
worldwide. The coverage of sea ice in the Arctic during the late summer has
been lower over the past decade than it has been in at least 1 000 years. The
ongoing global retreat of glaciers is unparalleled in at least the last 2 000 years.

2. 3. Do we presently live in the period of an Ice Age?
Yes, we do. An Ice Age is a long period of time when the Earth's climate is
colder than usual and large ice sheets cover parts of the continents. The last
Ice Age began about 2.6 million years ago and is still ongoing. However,
within this Ice Age, there are shorter periods of warmer and colder climate
called interglacials and glacials. We are currently in an interglacial period
called the Holocene, which began about 11,700 years ago and is characterized
by relatively mild temperatures and melting ice. The Holocene is expected to
end when the next glacial period begins, which could happen in thousands or
tens of thousands of years.
4. What are so-called warm and cold periods of the Ice Age?
An ice age is a long-lasting period in which global temperatures drop,
resulting in an expansion of continental ice from polar caps and glaciers.
Within the ice ages, there are more temperate and more severe periods. the
warmest, interglacial.
5. Referring to the terms above, what is the scientifically correct
name of our present situation?
Climate change is the scientific name for our present situation. This happens
because of how we are damaging the planet, because of cars, buildings, etc.
6. Was our planet Earth “normally”/most of the times during the
last 7 billion years covered partially or totally with ice or not?
Nowadays we know that our planet it's all the time changing not only
the tectonic plates but also the climate change. During the last 7 billion
years the planet was changing between glaciations and warm climates.

3. 7. What results of the melting of the ice shield during the last 10
000 years can be observed in northern Europe?
One of the most significant results of the melting of the ice shield during
the last 10,000 years in northern Europe is the rise in sea levels. Roughly
20,000 years ago, the great ice sheets that buried much of Asia, Europe and
North America stopped their creeping advance. Within a few hundred years,
sea levels in some places had risen by as much as 10 meters. This freshwater
flood filled the North Atlantic and also shut down the ocean currents that
conveyed warmer water from equatorial regions northward.
8. Explain the terms
a) tundra
They are also known as zones without trees. You can find tundras in areas of
the world with cold temperatures and wind. Here you only found herbaceas
flora and fauna are mostly small mammals.
b) moraines
It is a collection of sediments of glacier origin that occur in current or past
glacier areas.
c) glacial valley / ancient river valley
U-shaped space that generates a glacier with it´s displacement