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.

According to a new study, changes in Earth’s tilt have driven the rise and fall of massive ice sheets for the past 800,000 years, shaping the planet’s climate and triggering at least eight ice ages. The research,