Why Does Earth Have Glaciers?

It’s this flood, the global flood of Noah’s day, that’s key to understanding why we have glaciers today.

Well, they weren’t created by God during creation week. Keep in mind there was only one continent before the flood, as Genesis 1:9 indicates, which means the continents we know today were not in their present locations at that time but were broken apart and rapidly moved during the flood. And even if glaciers did exist in the preflood world, they would’ve been destroyed during the flood. But it’s this flood, the global flood of Noah’s day, that’s key to understanding why we have glaciers today.

You see, the glaciers were formed after the flood (as a result of the flood), during the ice age, just a few thousand years ago. This ice age—the only one in earth’s history—was brought on by the unique conditions of the flood:

• Geologic, tectonic, and volcanic activity would’ve warmed the oceans, leading to an excess of evaporation.
• Aerosols, ash, and other volcanic matter would’ve remained trapped in the atmosphere for years, reflecting sunlight into space and cooling the continents, leading to very cold winters and cool summers for much of the earth.

Those unique conditions would’ve led to snow, snow, and more snow! It piled up and, with cooler summers, wouldn’t have fully melted—leading to the rapid (in decades or a few centuries) formation of ice sheets that covered 30 percent of the globe, including as far south as Northern Kentucky, where we’re located.

As earth settled down, those glaciers retreated to their current positions in the extreme north and south. And that’s why we have glaciers today! They didn’t form slowly over hundreds of thousands of years. Rather, they formed rapidly during a unique time in earth’s history.

And you have a wonderful opportunity to experience these glaciers—along with Alaskan wildlife, coastal scenery, and more—during a special teaching cruise with Answers in Genesis and InGrace Ministries, May 23–30, 2026.

Hear from:

• Mark Looy, Cofounder of Answers in Genesis
• Dr. Georgia Purdom, VP of Educational Content and Director of Research at Answers in Genesis
• Dr. Danny Faulkner, Astronomer with Answers in Genesis
• Jim Scudder, Pastor, Author, and Host of InGrace
• Bruce Malone, Director of Search for the Truth Ministries

Yes, this is a one-of-a-kind cruise in one of the most stunning places on earth—Alaska. I encourage you to make plans to go or to book this cruise for you and your spouse as a Valentine’s Day gift. Learn more on our events page, and reserve your spot today at InspirationTravel.com/igm.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,
Ken

This item was written with the assistance of AiG’s research team.