Global cooling refers to the drop in Earth's temperatures. Canadian scientist Kenneth Tapping determined that a drop in temperatures across the globe from January 2007 to January 2008 is due to the effects of sunspot inactivity.National Post: Forget global warming: Welcome to the new Ice Age (February 25, 2008)

The Maunder minimum refers to the time, beginning in the 1600s, during which Earth experienced a "little ice age." That period also coincided with decreased sunspot activity. According to Tapping, if sunspot activity decreases the planet could fall into another "little ice age." Russian scientist Dr. Oleg Sorokhtin argues sunspot inactivity affects the climate more strongly than global warming and thinks the planet will suffer from unusually cold temperatures for many years beginning in 2012. During the 1970s some scientists predicted Earth was heading for another ice age.National Post: Forget global warming: Welcome to the new Ice Age (February 25, 2008)