During the last hundred years, intensive studies have been made on the geological indications of the so called “Ice Ages”;. Already Penck and Bruckner discovered, around the end of the nineteenth century, the cyclic character of these phenomena and distinguished at least four cycles in the Alps area. In fact these geological cycles are controlled by climatic conditions. The geological phenomena are to be regarded as a registration of climate cycles. Since Penck and Bruckner many geologists tried to get more information about these cycles, such as the period of the principle cycles, the character of the minor fluctuations during one principle cycle, the time this process of glacial and interglacial periods has taken place already etc. However, the most important question is the origin of this cyclicity. Recent investigations on Loss deposits (Aeolian sediments), deep sea sediments and on cores taken from the icecaps on Greenland and the Antarctic have given a new flow of data. These data are particularly valuable since they are combined with isotopic investigations. These investigations have provided us both with data concerning the absolute age of certain cyclic phenomena as well as the intensity of the fluctuations, expecially of the most recent glaciation. All these new facts enable us to prepare much more detailed curves of these climatic fluctuations during the Pleistocene and to look for explanations of these climatic cycles of a less speculative nature. The knowledge of the character and causes of these climatic cycles may prove to be of still greater value than our efforts to collect data from the moon. It enables us to predict future developments of our planet; e.g. a new ice age would cause a fall in sea level of 100 m, a further melting of the ice caps a rise of 50 m. A number of important questions could be asked: How labile is the present day equilibrium; is the climatic curve completely controlled by extraterrestrial radiation or by other global processes; are these global processes of such a nature that they could be influenced by man; what is the influence of recent and future human activities in industry, agriculture and landscape building? All these questions can only be solved when the mechanism of these climatic cycles is completely known. Geologists, climatologists, physicists and other experts have to co-operate very closely to solve these most important problems, which may decisive for the future environment of man.
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