SafekipediaWhat Is a Glacial Period?
A glacial period is a very cold time when Earth gets chilly for thousands of years. During these times, big glaciers grow and spread over the land. These cold times happen inside even longer periods called ice ages. In between the cold times, Earth warms up again.
When Did the Last Glacial Period Happen?
The last big cold time, called the Last Glacial Period, ended about 15,000 years ago. Today we live in a warm time called the Holocene. This warm time is a break between cold periods, called an interglacial.
How Do Glaciers Change the World?
When glaciers grow, they cover many parts of the land. This can change the shape of mountains, rivers, and even continents. These changes help make the world look the way it does today. Plants and animals also move to new places because of these big ice sheets.
What Might Happen Next?
Scientists can guess when the next cold time might happen by looking at how Earth moves around the sun. Some think our warm time might last about 50,000 more years. But the gases we put in the air might keep Earth warm even longer.
This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Glacial period, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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