Global cooling refers to a long-term decrease in Earth's average surface temperature. This can be caused by natural factors such as changes in solar radiation or volcanic eruptions, or human activities like burning fossil fuels and deforestation. The term "global cooling" was used interchangeably with "global warming" before the latter became more widely accepted to describe climate change. However, during the 1970s, scientists believed that the Earth's temperature would decrease due to aerosol pollution blocking sunlight and causing a cooling effect. This theory has since been debunked as human-induced global warming has become more widely accepted as the primary cause of climate change.