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See also: The ecosystem 134–137 ■ Evolutionarily stable state 154–155
■ The biosphere 204–205 ■ A holistic view of Earth 210–211James Lovelock
Inspired by writers such as
Jules Verne and H.G. Wells,
James Lovelock, born in 1919,
was fascinated by science and
invention from an early age.
He graduated in chemistry
from Manchester University
in 1941. Lovelock was a
conscientious objector during
World War II and worked for
the National Institute for
Medical Research in London.
In 1948, he received his Ph.D.
in medicine, and then spent
time in the US on a Rockefeller
fellowship. After returning
to Britain in 1955, he turned
his attention to inventions,
notably the electron-capture
detector (ECD), which detects
trace atoms in a gas sample.
In the 1960s and 1970s, he
held visiting professorships in
Houston, Texas, and Reading,
England, during which time
he developed the Gaia
hypothesis. In 2003, Lovelock
was made a Companion of
Honour by Queen Elizabeth II.inorganic elements interact. The
British botanist Arthur Tansley
then took this idea further in the
1930s, with his concept of an
“ecosystem” that regulates itself
into a state of equilibrium.
Tansley’s theory was at the
heart of Lovelock’s hypothesis:
that all living organisms and their
environment form one complex
super-ecosystem that regulates and
balances conditions to sustain life
on Earth. The idea first occurred to
Lovelock in the late 1960s, but it
was after discussing it with US
microbiologist Lynn Margulis that
it began to take shape. Together,
they presented the hypothesis in a
paper in 1974, giving it a name
suggested by the writer William
Golding—Gaia, after the ancient
Greek Earth goddess. Lovelock and
Margulis portrayed Earth as a
living entity, composed of the
biosphere, living organisms; thepedosphere, the surface layer of the
Earth; the hydrosphere, the bodies of
water on the Earth’s surface; and the
atmosphere, the gases surrounding
the Earth. These spheres and their
complex interactions maintain
Earth in “homeostasis.” This
concept is borrowed from physiology,
which describes the stable internal
conditions, such as temperature
and chemical composition, that
allow organisms to function
optimally. They are controlled by
self-regulating mechanisms
that react to change in those
conditions. Lovelock’s use of the
word homeostasis reinforced
the implication that Earth,
or Gaia, is a living entity.Keeping the balance
The hint of mysticism in the Gaia
principle chimed with the “New
Age” thinking of the time. This
helped popularize the idea, but
it also led to a negative reception
from the scientific establishment.
However, behind the Earth
“goddess” metaphor was a serious
science-based hypothesis that ❯❯THE LIVING EARTH
Key works1988 The Ages of Gaia
1991 Gaia: The Practical
Science of Planetary Medicine
2009 The Vanishing Face of
Gaia: A Final WarningA stone relief shows Gaia, the
Greek goddess of Earth. The
nonscientific name chosen by Lovelock
for his hypothesis initially hindered
its acceptance by many scientists.Evolution is a tightly coupled
dance, with life and the
material environment as
partners. From the dance
emerges the entity Gaia.
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