The theory states that the Earth is much more than just a "third planet from the Sun", conveniently positioned from the star at the optimum distance between freezing and burning out.
According to this theory, the organic and inorganic components of planet Earth evolved together as a single living system that independently controls the global temperature, atmospheric composition, ocean salinity and many other parameters that support its suitability for life.
How Gaia's hypothesis came about and developed
The Gaia hypothesis (Gaia, Gaia - the ancient Greek goddess of the Earth) was formulated by the British scientist James Lovelock. He first pioneered the idea of a self-regulating Earth controlled by a community of living organisms in September 1965 while working at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California on methods for detecting life on Mars. The first article in which she was mentioned was "Planetary Atmosphere: Compositional and Other Changes Associated with the Presence of Life", co-authored with K. E. Giffin. The main idea was that life on a planetary scale can be detected by the chemical composition of the atmosphere.
British scientist James Lovelock, founder of Gaia's theory.
Lovelock suggested that combinations of chemicals, including oxygen and methane, are maintained at stable concentrations in the Earth's atmosphere due to the activities of living organisms, and suggested looking for such combinations in the atmospheres of other planets as a relatively reliable and cheap way to detect life.
In 1971, microbiologist Dr. Lynn Margulis of the University of Massachusetts joined Lovelock to turn the original idea into scientifically proven concepts, sharing her knowledge of how microbes affect the atmosphere and various layers on the planet's surface. Margulis dedicated the final chapters of her book, The Planet of Symbiotics to Gaia. She described it as a set of interacting ecosystems that make up one huge ecosystem on the surface of the Earth.
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American microbiologist. Lynn Margulis.
The microbiologist agreed with Lovelock that in relation to the physiological processes taking place on the planet, the Earth is best viewed as a living organism. In this respect, the living system of the Earth can function similarly to any individual organism that regulates its body temperature, the chemical composition of blood, etc.
Arguments for Gaia's Theory
As one example, it was shown that the formation of clouds over the ocean is almost entirely dependent on the metabolism of ocean algae, which release sulfur molecules (in the form of waste gas), which are the nucleus of condensation for rain drops. Previously, cloud formation over the ocean was thought to be a purely chemical / physical phenomenon.
Supporters of this theory often give an example of Gaia's regulation of the CO2 content in the atmosphere. So, due to an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide, plant growth is enhanced, which in turn reduces the level of CO2.
Now, many environmental scientists say that the complex and delicate balances that support the oceans, atmosphere, lakes, forests and other ecosystems are so complex and orderly that, if the Earth is not a living being that controls it all, it certainly does sometimes acts as a whole.
However, since Gaia's theory is just a theory (and rather controversial), its significance in the modern scientific or social context should be assessed as one of the points of view or the basis for describing and understanding the Earth, however, it does not provide absolute answers to all questions. which we have about our planet …