Dust is all that's needed to plunge the world into an ice age. When blown into the sea, the iron it contains can fertilise plankton growth on a scale large enough to cause global temperatures to drop. The finding adds support to the idea of staving off climate change by simulating the effects of dust - perhaps by sprinkling the oceans with iron filings.
Links:
[1] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/feature-article/iron-rich-dust-fuelled-4-million-years-ice-ages
[2] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/author/fred-pearce
[3] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/journal/new-scientist
[4] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/climate-change
[5] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/climate-science
[6] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/global-warming
[7] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/deserts
[8] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/aerosols
[9] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/oceans-and-seas
[10] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/north-atlantic-ocean
[11] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/ocean-fertilization