Earth is about to face a "mini ice age"

Earth could face a new "mini ice age" in the coming years, due to weaker solar activity.

The sunspot cycle is 11 years. The spots are most visible in 2013 – which is also the year of the Sun's peak activity – after which the spots begin to fade and the Sun becomes less active.

A lack of solar activity would have cooled the Earth's temperature, as it has in the past. From 1645 to 1715, there were almost no sunspots around the Sun. During this time, Europe suffered unusually harsh winters, a period later known as the 'mini ice age'.

Scientists fear that Earth will experience a similar period of low temperatures over the next decade as the Sun's low activity is predicted to last longer than the average cycle.

“Scientific studies have shown evidence that temperatures on Earth will be low for a long time in the next decade due to the Sun being less active than usual,” said Dr Frank Hill, of the US National Solar Laboratory.

However, Professor Joanna Haigh, of Imperial College London (UK), said global warming will prevent the Earth's temperature from dropping too low.

“Even if predictions that the Earth is entering a ‘mini ice age’ are correct, the effects of global warming will prevent the Earth from cooling down. And when the Sun returns to normal activity, the Earth will continue to be affected by global warming.”

According to KH&DS