The Big Freeze

A while ago National Geographic aired a new episode of Naked Science titled Big Freeze, one that has something to do with the Earth's climate instead of the entire universe's.

To sum it up, we live in a time called the interglacial period when the world doesn't freeze over like during an ice age, allowing civilizations to flourish. Many scientists believe though that an ice age is, judging from past climate patterns for thousands of years, overdue.

The good news is an ice age takes time to emerge. The graduate change and our ability to adapt to new environments are not exactly the worst combination.

The bad news is along with these studies, climatologists discovered something very strange- the extended period of warm climate that we benefit from, is everything but normal. It's indeed a freak of nature. Long story short, there was a bizarre absence of freezes that should have hit during the interglacial but haven't. When it arrives finally the world will go through a rapid and drastic temperature drop crippling or even wiping out the human race.

What can trigger these quick big freezes:
1) volcanic eruption
-volcanic acid reflecting sunlight resulting in dropping temp, also likely to effect food supply causing famines, civil disobedience, eventually wars and/or anarchy.

2) global warming
-either a man-made process or natrual, the larger amont of fresh water from melting ice sheets pouring into the ocean each year is a fact, which slows the Great Ocean Conveyor, a natural oceanic system that adjusts global temperatures.

Doomed or not, What're our chances?
Scientists say that there is a 50% chance we will see a big freeze in the next 100 years.

Now on surviving it:
How life survived the big freeze

Download Big Freeze on here

Recent evidence suggests we might be heading towards a Big Freeze with the power to cause a global catastrophe with mass extinctions. This new freezing climate could hit us far sooner than we think with little or no warning. The next ice-age may stillbe in the distant future but ironically could Global Warming be a possible trigger that will accelerate climate change? Naked Science examines what may cause temperatures to plummet and how abrupt climate change could spell disaster for Earth.