Ice Age - Definition, Examples, Quiz, FAQ, Trivia

What Was the Ice Age?

The Ice Age was a period in Earth's history when large parts of the planet were covered with thick sheets of ice called glaciers. These icy periods lasted for thousands of years and transformed our planet's landscape.

During the Ice Age, temperatures were much colder than today. About one-third of Earth's land was covered in ice! The most recent Ice Age ended about 11,700 years ago, but scientists believe there have been several ice ages throughout Earth's long history.

The Ice Age wasn't just one long cold period. It included warmer times called interglacial periods when the ice melted and retreated. We are actually living in an interglacial period right now!

Glacial and Interglacial Periods

The Ice Age wasn't one continuous cold period. Instead, it consisted of alternating cold and warm phases:

In North America, scientists have identified four main glacial periods:

Nebraskan: The earliest known glaciation in North America
Kansan: Following the Nebraskan, with ice covering much of the Midwest
Illinoisan: The third major glaciation
Wisconsin: The most recent glaciation, ending about 11,700 years ago

These glacial periods were separated by warmer interglacial periods when the climate was similar to today.

Ice Age Animals

The Ice Age was home to many amazing animals, some of which are now extinct. These creatures had special adaptations to survive the cold climate:

Many Ice Age animals were much larger than their modern relatives - a phenomenon called "megafauna." These large animals were well-adapted to the cold, with thick fur, layers of fat, and in some cases, smaller ears and tails to prevent heat loss.

Unfortunately, many Ice Age animals went extinct when the climate warmed. Scientists debate whether climate change or human hunting caused these extinctions.

How Glaciers Shaped Earth

Glaciers are powerful forces that dramatically changed Earth's surface during the Ice Age. As they moved slowly across the land, they:

Glaciers left behind distinctive landforms that we can still see today:

Glacial till: A mixture of rocks, sand, and clay deposited by glaciers
Eskers: Long ridges of sand and gravel deposited by streams flowing under glaciers
Drumlins: Teardrop-shaped hills formed under moving glaciers
Moraines: Ridges of debris left at the edges of glaciers

The Great Lakes between the United States and Canada were formed by glaciers scraping out basins that later filled with water. Glaciers also created many of the mountains, valleys, and lakes we see in northern regions today.

Ice Age Quiz

Test your knowledge about the Ice Age with this quiz! Answer all 5 questions to see how much you've learned.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to some common questions about the Ice Age:

Ice Age Trivia

Discover some amazing facts about the Ice Age: