Gaia hypothesis
Gaia Hypothesis
The Gaia Hypothesis (/ˈɡaɪ.ə/ GY-ə, /ˈɡeɪ.ə/ GAY-ə), also known as the Gaia Theory or the Gaia Principle, proposes that living organisms interact with their inorganic surroundings on Earth to form a synergistic and self-regulating, complex system that helps to maintain and perpetuate the conditions for life on the planet.
Etymology
The term "Gaia" originates from the ancient Greek mythology, where Gaia (or Gaea) was the personification of the Earth and one of the Greek primordial deities. The hypothesis was formulated by the scientist James Lovelock and co-developed by the microbiologist Lynn Margulis in the 1970s.
Related Terms
- Biosphere: The global sum of all ecosystems. It can also be termed the zone of life on Earth.
- Homeostasis: The state of steady internal, physical, and chemical conditions maintained by living systems.
- Cybernetics: A transdisciplinary approach for exploring regulatory systems, their structures, constraints, and possibilities, which is fundamental to the Gaia hypothesis.
- Climate Change: A long-term change in the average weather patterns that have come to define Earth's local, regional and global climates. It has significant implications for the Gaia hypothesis.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Gaia hypothesis
- Wikipedia's article - Gaia hypothesis
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