The gaia hypothesis a, also known as the gaia theory or the gaia principle, proposes. Aug 27, 2010 how james lovelock introduced gaia to an unsuspecting world we have learned so much about our home planet in the three decades since james lovelock wrote gaia. Apr 27, 2008 james lovelock, who developed his ideas about life regulating the earths environment in the 1960s earth is a perfect planet for life but, according to gaia theory, this is no coincidence. The theory gained an early supporter in lynn margulis. After postulating there was a force for life on earth, in which all biology participates gaia this system may fight back, or limit the species which threatens to overwhelm nature. Introductory as i write, two viking spacecraft are circling our fellow planet mars, awaiting landfall instructions from the earth. A new look at life on earth, oxford university press, 1979. Gaia, the grand idea 5 gaia is the earth seen as a single physiological system, an entity that is alive at least to the extent that, like other living organisms, its chemistry and temperature are selfregulated at a state favourable for life. Gaia, however, showed that the earth, its rocks, oceans, and atmosphere, and all living things are part of one great organism, evolving together over the vast span of geological time. Gaia hypothesis simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Click download or read online button to get the revenge of gaia book now.
Complexity theory, lovelock s gaia and tribal peoples nicholas c. The idea that life on earth regulates the physical and chemical conditions of the environment suitable for life. Welcome to the personal website of james lovelock, originator of gaia theory, inventor of the electron capture detector which made possible the detection of cfcs and other atmospheric nanopollutants and of the microwave oven. Gaia theory himself, turns 100 on his upcoming birthday, july 26 th. There is actually a realworld gaia theory, known as the gaia hypothesis, introduced by dr. James lovelock is not part of a university, research institute, or business firm. Sir james lovelock, scientist and investigator, on his gloomiest climate change book so far. Mar 27, 20 james lovelock born 1919 is an independent scientist from devon who, after developing his famous gaia hypothesis, gained a notorious status in the scientific community. James lovelock, university of kansas lecture, 1991.
James lovelock, gaia theory, and the rejection of factvalue dualism. The hypothesis highlights the important influence that living beings have on their geological environment to speculate about the possibility of a. The vanishing face of gaia by lovelock, james ebook. The gaia hypothesis proposes that our planet functions as a single organism that maintains conditions necessary for its survival. Biogeochemists have devoted decades of painstaking work to tracing the details of these interactions. It seems possible to simplify and strengthen the gaia theory if we take the strong form of the anthropic principle seriously, which asserts that the universe must be compatible with conscious life, which means that it is most likely that the universe is a living place that contains a spectrum of consciousness. It claims that all of the organic and inorganic components of.
The theory you asked about is known as the gaia hypothesis. James lovelock, a british scientist and inventor, shortly after his work with nasa in determining that there was probably no life on mars. One part of gaia that is clearly fact is the recognition that earths organisms have a signi. James lovelock gaia theory college of science and mathematics. He is best known for proposing the gaia hypothesis, which postulates that the earth functions as a selfregulating system. The gaia hypothesis has since been supported by a number of scientific experiments 8 and provided a number of useful predictions, 9 and hence is properly referred to as the gaia theory. The scientist who created gaia theory isnt worried. The book describes how the living earth may work, today, and in ages past, based on the latest research of lovelock and others. The author also pointed out problems in the experiments done by lovelock and his students to prove lovelock s claim that at no point in the history of the earth was the oxygen level in the atmosphere higher than 25%. In proposing this theory, james lovelock sought to explain the many complex natural mechanisms that the earth has for regulating things such as climate and biological diversity. Sep 12, 20 the weak gaia theory is pretty much just saying that the earth and the organisms within it are an interconnected system with feedback loops and therefore capable of selfregulating up to a point. His gaia theory provides insight into climate change in the coming century.
James ephraim lovelock, ch cbe frs born 26 july 1919 is an independent scientist, environmentalist, and futurist. Lovelock explains that the initial formulation was based on observation, but still lacked a scientific explanation. Gaia hypothesis i would like to know the name of the theory which states that the earth is a living organism much like us human beings. In some gaia theory approaches the earth itself is viewed as an organism with selfregulatory functions. The theory came about as a way of explaining why the earths atmosphere contains high levels of nitrogen and oxygen. James lovelock worked as an independent scientist, not answering to a corporate or academic boss. The spirits within take on gaia as the planets soul. Lovelock also once described the geophysiology of the earth. Gaia hypothesis t lenton, centre for ecology and hydrology, edinburgh, uk. Why did the public love james lovelock s gaia theory so much while scientists hated it. While other scientists suggested elaborate tests involving space probes to check for microbes in martian soil, lovelock said to save the rocket fuel, we didnt even need to bother going there. The claw hypothesisinspired by the gaia hypothesis, proposes a feedback loop that operates between ocean ecosystems and the earth s climate.
Pdf james lovelock, gaia theory, and the rejection of fact. Why did the public love james lovelocks gaia theory so much while scientists hated it. Long ago the greeks, thinking this way, gave to the earth the name gaia. James lovelocks gaia hypothesis revolutionises how we view. Gaia james lovelock oxford university press in this classic work that continues to inspire many readers, jim lovelock puts forward his idea that the earth functions as a single organism. Earth will adjust to these stresses, but the human race faces a severe test. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading gaia.
The revenge of gaia download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. How james lovelock introduced gaia to an unsuspecting world we have learned so much about our home planet in the three decades since james lovelock wrote gaia. Peroff university of missourikansas city abstract in his recent book, the revenge of gaia 2006, james lovelock contends that the earth, or gaia, is a living system and around 100,000 years ago tribal peoples initiated a succession of events. James lovelock english chemist, doctor, and author. The gaia hypothesis james lovelock 1979 earth is a super organism it is alive like one single organism name is from greek earth godess gaia one step further than mother earth lovelock is a reputable scientist with a hypothesis that it pretty far out proposed as a testable scientific hypothesis.
Beautiful minds james lovelock the gaia hypothesis gaia. Long ago the greeks, thinking this way, gave to the earth the name gaia or, for short, ge. In this classic work that continues to inspire its many readers, jim lovelock puts forward his idea that life on earth functions as a single organism. Written for nonscientists, gaia is a journey through time and space in search of evidence in support of a radically different model of our planet. Gaia hypothesis village as lovelock at the time bowerchalke, wiltshire, uk. Formulated by james lovelock in the mid1960s and published in a book in 1979, this controversial idea has spawned several interesting ideas and many new areas of research. The man who achieved global fame for his theory that the whole earth is a single organism now believes that we can only hope that the earth will take care of itself in the face of completely unpredictable.
Named after the greek earth goddess, gaia, the theory was developed in the 1960s by scientist dr james lovelock. His research led to profound new insights about life on earth. Lovelock was employed by nasa, as part of the team that. But according to james lovelock, the theory s originator, that organism is now sick. It was his foresight that created the electron capture. How james lovelock introduced gaia to an unsuspecting. With a phd in medicine, lovelock began his career performing cryopreservation experiments on rodents, including successfully thawing frozen specimens.
Published in 1979, gaia offered a radically new hypothesis. Gaia hypothesis, model of the earth in which its living and nonliving parts are viewed as a complex interacting system that can be thought of as a single organism. In contrast to conventional belief that living matter is passive in the face of. James lovelocks gaia hypothesis has challenged conventional thinking about the nature of the earth as an integrated system. Lovelock first began thinking that the planet resembles a living entity in the 1960s, while working for a nasa project on how to detect life on mars. James ephraim lovelock, ch cbe frs is an independent scientist, environmentalist, and futurist. James lovelock developed the gaia theory in the 1960s while working with nasa. The ages of gaia explains lovelock s theory that the earth is a living organism.
James lovelocks gaia hypothesis archive ouverte hal. James lovelock gave this name to his hypothesis after a suggestion from the novelist william goldingwho was living in the same village as lovelock at the time bowerchalkewiltshireuk. Gottgens conservation biologyhans papers 2010tilman and downing 1994 nature. Meet the independent thinker who is never far from the. Basic evolutionary theory disproves this almost completely survival of the fittest what does lynn margulis say makes dawkins views on evolution and the gaia hypothesis compatible. This theory is especially alluded to in the final fantasy. Written for nonscientists, gaia is a journey through time and space in search of evidence with which to support a new and radically different model of our planet. The concept of the gaia hypothesis originates from the 1960s when british scientist and independent researcher james lovelock began his work with nasa on developing methods to detect life on mars. James lovelock and the gaia hypothesis new scientist. Aug 17, 2017 to listen to more of james lovelocks stories, go to the playlist. James lovelock has been an active and accurate observer of the earth environment since the 1960s and was the first to find cfcs and other gases accumulating in the air.
At the time, lovelock was working for nasa, looking at methods of detecting life on mars. The gaia hypothesis has since been supported by a number of scientific experiments20 and provided a number of useful predictions,21 and hence is properly referred to as the gaia theory. James lovelock called his first proposal the gaia hypothesis. We feel that we belong here as if this planet were indeed our home. A new look at life on earth, jim lovelock s theory has. James lovelock the revenge of gaia pdf james lovelock will go down in history as the scientist who changed our view of the earth from a barren rock covered with a thin coating of life.
Along with nasa colleague dian hitchcock, lovelock found that the current state of mars atmosphere was in what appeared to be a state of equilibrium. The man who achieved global fame for his theory that the whole earth is a single organism now believes that we can only hope that the earth will take care of itself in the face of completely. James lovelock, university of kansas lecture from 1991 the theory of gaia addeddate 20150407 19. For more than a century students of the evolution of the living and nonliving parts of the earth have known that life influences the physical and chemical characteristic of the planet. The gaia theory was developed in the late 1960s by dr. At 100, james lovelocks gaia theory still faces challenges. James lovelock will go down in history as the scientist who changed our view of the earth from a barren rock covered with a thin coating of life. In the revenge of gaia, bestselling author james lovelock father of climate studies and originator of the influential gaia theory which views the entire earth as.
Reply to askanearthscientist soest school of ocean and. I find nick lanes arguments much more convincing, and i am sure lovelock should have been aware of this work. The evolving gaia theory james lovelock paper presented at the united nations university on 25 september 1992 tokyo, japan dr. Exploring our lovehate relationship with gaia new scientist. Article pdf available december 2011 with 1,273 reads. We have begun to add a new series of scientific papers by prof lovelock coauthors onto the website. The ages of gaia a biography of our living earth by james lovelock 255 pages, paperback, w. A new look at life on earth kindle edition by lovelock, james. Gaias warrior robin mckie, science editor of the uks observer newspaper, interviews james lovelock for australias g. Lovelock states that the initial formulation was based on observation, but still lacked a scientific explanation. Lynn margulis, department of biology, boston university, 2. The key insight of gaia theory is that the entire earth functions as a single living superorganism. He is best known for proposing the gaia hypothesis, which postulates that the.
As such, he could pursue studies where ever they led him. Gaia contains elements of fact, theory, and wishful thinking. Lovelock began to refer to gaia as a theory, in which selfregulation is understood as a property of. James lovelock originator of gaia theory and inventor of. In the revenge of gaia, bestselling author james lovelock father of climate studies and originator of the influential gaia theory. For over 50 years, he has been britains leading independent scientist. The scientist who first theorized that our planet is a biological organism, not merely a rock, discusses life on earth and the possibilities for its future. Gaia a new look at life on earth james lovelock oxford landmark science. Gaia is theorized to be a living entity that is greater than the sum of all the living and nonliving aspects of the earth. James lovelock called his first proposal the gaia hypothesis but has also used the term gaia theory. Lovelock s theory that life all clubs together for some sort of mutual advantage is inconceivable. Gaia is the name of the greek goddess of the earth or mother earth, as she is also called.
The gaia hypothesis and earth system science the following is an excerpt from scientists on gaia by stephen schneider and penelope boston mit press. Lovelocks gaia theory states that, for much of the past 3. James lovelock backs down on climate alarm anthony watts april 23, 2012 msnbc reports that the lack of temperature rise in the last 12 years has convinced environmentalist james lovelock the gaia hypothesis that the climate alarmism wasnt warranted. Lovelock has been a fixture of the environmental community for decades, probably most famous for his gaia hypothesis the theory the earth is a single, selfregulating organism. Demolition kitchen video, james lovelock, gaia, university of kansas, ku language english. Pdf james lovelock, gaia theory, and the rejection of. Their mission is to search for life, or evidence of life, now or long ago. But, as james broughton said, the only limits are, as always, those of vision. His independence from a formal relationship with an educational institution or governmental agency gives him a unique perspective. The gaia hypothesis, also known as gaia theory or gaia principle, named after earth goddess gaia, indicates that living organisms interact with their nonliving inorganic surroundings on earth to selfregulate the earth environment, a complex system that contributes to maintaining the conditions for life on the planet. James lovelock, gaia theory, and the rejection of factvalue dualism article pdf available december 2011 with 1,273 reads how we measure reads.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The gaia hypothesis by michael ruse gets to the heart of the. It is running a fever born of increased atmospheric greenhouse gases. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. Mar 17, 2020 james lovelock will go down in history as the scientist who changed our view of the earth from a barren rock covered with a thin coating of life. The gaia hypothesis has since been supported by a number of scientific experiments and provided a number of useful predictions. As a result, he has many patents, originated the gaia law, invented a device that discovered the reason for the ozone hole, then helped solve that issue temporarily, it turns out. How james lovelock introduced gaia to an unsuspecting world. The gaia hypothesis has since been supported by a number of scientific experiments20 and provided a number of useful. Gaia theory is the bedrock of the environmental movement and, as aitkenhead noted, the. James lovelock called his first proposal the gaia hypothesis but has also used the. Outlines jim lovelock s original theory that life on earth functions as a single organism, a hypothesis which has generated great debate in scientific circles.