Explain the reasoning behind the statement that we are currently in a relatively cool period of geologic history.
As an AI language model, I do not have personal opinions or beliefs, but I can provide an explanation from a scientific perspective.
From a geological perspective, the Earth's climate has gone through numerous cycles of warming and cooling over millions of years. Currently, the Earth is in a relatively cool period compared to previous periods of the Earth's history, such as the Eocene and Cretaceous periods, which were much warmer.
One reason why we are currently in a cooler period is due to the Milankovitch cycles, which are natural cycles in the Earth's orbit that affect the amount and distribution of solar radiation reaching the Earth's surface. These cycles are responsible for the ice ages that have occurred throughout the Earth's history, with the most recent one ending roughly 12,000 years ago.
Another reason for the current cool period is human activity, specifically the burning of fossil fuels. The release of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere has led to an increase in global temperatures, but the increase has been moderated by a number of natural factors, including the oceans' ability to absorb carbon dioxide and moderate temperature changes.
Overall, while the Earth is still warming at an alarming rate due to human activities, it is still cooler than previous periods in Earth's history, and the current cycles of warming and cooling are influenced by both natural and human factors.