This course explores cycles, trends and abrupt events in the Earth system. Analyses of the geologic record and global climate models provide perspective for understanding paleoclimate and future climate changes, including global warming. Current hypotheses for causes of climate change are evaluated, including plate tectonics, orbital cyclicity, variations in the sun's strength and human activities. The two reoccurring questions of this class are: What are Earth's climate stories? How do we know? May be used for general education credit.