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Gaia hypothesis |
Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Wikipedia, Hutchinson | 0.01 sec. |
Gaia hypothesisModel 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. Developed c. 1972 largely by British chemist James E. Lovelock and U.S. biologist Lynn Margulis, the Gaia hypothesis is named for the Greek Earth goddess. It postulates that all living things have a regulatory effect on the Earth's environment that promotes life overall; the Earth is homeostatic in support of life-sustaining conditions. The theory is highly controversial. How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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Their calculations indicate the earliest life helped make the planet more hospitable for later forms -- a suggestion reminiscent of the controversial Gaia hypothesis, which holds that life regulates conditions on Earth. The Gaia hypothesis is the claim, supposedly supported by biology and the earth sciences, that there's a fitness for one and all and that the owner of that fitness is Gaia, who is the sum of all biota in interaction with the earth. Lovelock, working with biologist Lynn Margulis of Boston University, the Gaia hypothesis states that life has regulated and stabilized the environment, keeping it within the narrow bounds that allow life to continue. |
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