First published in 1979, James Lovelock’s Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth explores the concept that all living things on our planet effectively operate as a single organism. Taking its name from Gaia, the Greek goddess of Earth, the celebrated hypothesis states that all living organisms interact with their inorganic surroundings to form a synergistic and self-regulating, complex system that enables the conditions for life on our planet to continue – in other words, life is in charge of the planet, not the other way round. This idea was initially controversial as it seemed to contradict the theory of evolution and random natural selection, but the Gaia principle was subsequently expanded to allow for both concepts to work side by side. It is a compelling read in today’s context of impending climate crisis and our growing realisation of the interconnectedness of life and the environment.
further reading…
First published in 1979, James Lovelock’s Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth explores the concept that all living things on our planet effectively operate as a single organism. Taking its name from Gaia, the Greek goddess of Earth, the celebrated hypothesis states that all living organisms interact with their inorganic surroundings to form a synergistic and self-regulating, complex system that enables the conditions for life on our planet to continue – in other words, life is in charge of the planet, not the other way round. This idea was initially controversial as it seemed to contradict the theory of evolution and random natural selection, but the Gaia principle was subsequently expanded to allow for both concepts to work side by side. It is a compelling read in today’s context of impending climate crisis and our growing realisation of the interconnectedness of life and the environment.