Ice ages on Earth may have been caused by Mars, study finds

Fahad Redha

March 24, 2026
3 min read

Ice ages on Earth may have been caused by Mars, study finds

A new study from Stephen Kane of UC Riverside is blaming Mars for ice ages on Earth. Computer models show that the Red Planet’s gravity may have affected the orbit of Earth, causing it to cool. We are familiar with short term weather cycles and events such as El Niño that affect surface sea temperature. But these pale in comparison to the longer climate cycles which can last millions of years.

Two of these are the Metronome and Modifier cycles which last 405,000 years. They are known to be caused by the pull of Jupiter and Venus on our orbit. These are known as Milankovitch cycles which pull Earth’s orbit out of a circle, making it slightly elliptical, causing the distance with the sun to change throughout the year and affecting how much solar radiation reaches us.

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While these are well understood, Kane’s simulation has revealed that Mars has a significant impact on our climate as well. “I knew Mars had some effect on Earth, but I assumed it was tiny,” said Kane. “I’d thought its gravitational influence would be too small to easily observe within Earth’s geologic history. I kind of set out to check my own assumptions.”

The Earth in its recent history, has tended to enter into ice ages every 100,000 years or so through major glaciations. It was long thought that Venus and Jupiter have provided a long-term metronome to its orbit. While they were not known to cause ice ages, they do control glaciation and other factors which can trigger them.

Kane’s simulations however reveal that without Mars, the often and intense transition between warm and cold interglacial periods over the past 2.6 million years may not have happened.

Some researchers have said that these cycles changed Africa from forests to grasslands, putting environmental pressures that forced humans’ ancestors to walk on their hind legs and evolve bigger brains.

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About Author

Fahad Redha

Fahad is the Content Editor at EyeOnLondon, overseeing the publication’s editorial output across news, culture, and lifestyle. With a background in journalism from the University of the Creative Arts, he brings a broad range of experience from local London reporting in Kensington & Chelsea, where he held roles including motoring, events, and health editor. At EyeOnLondon, Fahad plays a central role in shaping content and maintaining editorial standards. His work spans everything from daily news to feature coverage, with a particular strength in motoring and events. He also incorporates photography into his reporting, adding a visual layer to many of his stories. Fahad joined EyeOnLondon in February 2021.