Thursday, 17 May 2012

Is Earth Alive?

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Researchers at the University of Maryland have discovered a way to identify and track sulfuric compounds in Earth's marine environment, opening a path to either refute or support a decades-old hypothesis that our planet can be compared to a singular, self-regulating, living organism - a.k.a. the Gaia theory.

Proposed by scientists James Lovelock and Lynn Margulis in the 70s, the Gaia theory likens Earth to a self-supporting singular life form, similar to a cell. The theory claims that, rather than being merely a stage upon which life exists, life - in all forms - works to actively construct an Earthly environment in which it can thrive.

2 comment(s):

Anonymous said...

Those of us who are truly aware know that the entire universe is alive.

Anonymous said...

The earth is a life-engine powered by a virus and bacteria base. We are becoming a blight and easily removed.