Scientists say small changes in the way the Earth orbits the sun hold the key in major global changes in climate, like ice ages.

Earth’s climate has never been static. It shifts between warm interglacial periods and deep freezes, driven by complex interactions between the atmosphere, oceans, and even Earth’s orbit around the Sun.

Scientists have determined exactly how Earth's orbit and tilt affect glaciation and deglaciation, based on the length of these parameters' cycles and clues hidden at the bottom of the ocean.