[Star Traveler]

I believe the sunspot activity is related to the global warming and global coolilng cycles that we have had throughout history...

If you look up the “Maunder Minimum” on the web... you’ll find information there about the “Little Ice Age” in connection with that, too. This solar minimum that we’re in could result in some dramatic cooling of the planet, instead of so-called “global warming”, as some have been saying. In fact, I would say that it’s pretty “solid” that our warming and cooling spells on this planet (and in the solar system, too) are related to the sunspots and the increase and decrease of them. The so-called “global warming” has nothing to do with “greenhouse gasses” and the CO2 concentrations. It has everything to do with the sunspot activity...

[SuziQ]

Have you read "The Chilling Stars: A Cosmic View of Climate Change", by Henrik Svensmark? He not only mentions the cosmic rays, but also discusses at length the possible reasons for "Snowball Earth", and theorizes about how the movement of Sun and the planets through the Milky Way might also affect the overall climate of the Earth. He pulls together evidence from astronomy and biology, as well as geology to support his ideas.

It's a fascinating book, and a pretty easy read, even for those not very science oriented.

[mountn man]

If you look up the “Maunder Minimum” on the web... you’ll find information there about the “Little Ice Age” in connection with that, too. This solar minimum that we’re in could result in some dramatic cooling of the planet, instead of so-called “global warming”, as some have been saying. In fact, I would say that it’s pretty “solid” that our warming and cooling spells on this planet (and in the solar system, too) are related to the sunspots and the increase and decrease of them. The so-called “global warming” has nothing to do with “greenhouse gasses” and the CO2 concentrations. It has everything to do with the sunspot activity...

I think it also better explains why a few years ago they were finding that some planets and/or their moons were warming.

Either SUV's were causing global warming on Mars and Europa, or there was another cause. And if there was another cause causing warming in other areas of the solar system, was it possible that that same cause were the cause of warming of the Earth?