Biology Forums - Study Force

Put another way, any given area on Earth receives 9% more solar radiation in January than in July, due to its decreased distance from the Sun, which is why the seasons are more or less moderated.  
But what about when the axis becomes such that when Earth is closest to the Sun, it would be in July, instead of January?
The Northern Hemisphere, with 80% of the Earth's land area would experience more extreme seasons, a shorter, hotter summer, but with a winter longer and colder.  
Is this one of the causes of ice ages?  Or is it something else like a variation of Earth's orbit itself?

A lot of thinking about Ice Ages is attributed to solar strength, magnetic field of the Earth, particulate density in the atmosphere (impacts, volcanic activity, etc.) and other phenomenon.

Precession would only offer localized changes and not on a dramatic scale. Global variations have well defined cycles and are global in scale. Several candidates have been attributed to the ice ages, polar reversal, which from memory was about every 13,000 years and right now the Earths magnetic field is known to be dropping at an alarming rate suggesting we are on the cusp of one. Changes in long period solar cycles, extra solar events affecting cosmic radiation and thus evaporites, water vapor being the most effectual greenhouse gas. As you can see the problem is far more complex than Hollywood would ever have you believe.

I see what you are saying regarding the amount of land mass exposed depending on axis change, but I think its got less to do with land, and more to do with water... considering 75% of the surface is the cold blue stuff.

More specifically, its the small changes in the water temperature that can affect the weather on the land masses.... purely because so much of the surface is water not land. You don't need to be a scientist to see how the "conveyor belt" works in the Atlantic, keeping Western Europe very warm compared to other land masses at the same latitude. That sucker closes down, and BAMM.... Ice Age for Europe, and consequently the rest of the planet.

But to respond to your original question, no. I dont think small changes in the earth's axis directly affects earth falling in another Ice Age. Maybe pole reversal and the earth's magnetic field could have something to do with it, but who really knows?

I think the cycle is more local. I dont think axis changes on their own can by themselves bring on an Ice Age. Certainly it affects weather world wide but not in a sudden catastrophic sense. Even without human interference there's a normal cycle on Earth involving trees and their carbon sinking potential.... which isn't unlimited as most people think. It's just a natural "cleansing cycle". Ice Ages are necessary to wipe the slate clean and start over. As "Creator" how else would you get rid of 3billion+ people too many :).