Gaia, the grand idea 5 gaia is the earth seen as a single physiological system, an entity that is alive at least to the extent that, like other living organisms, its chemistry and temperature are selfregulated at a state favourable for life. The gaia hypothesis posits that the earth is a selfregulating complex system involving the biosphere, the atmosphere, the hydrospheres and the pedosphere, tightly coupled as an evolving system. National academy of sciences since 1983 and of the russian academy of natural sciences since 1997. Initially received with hostility by the scientific community, it is now studied in the disciplines of geophysiology and earth system science, and some of its principles. Lynn margulis biography childhood, life achievements. Memory of lynn margulis by carme puche a sweet and evocative short. The gaia hypothesis, also known as gaia theory or gaia principle, proposes that organisms interact with their inorganic surroundings on earth to form a selfregulating, complex system that helps to maintain the conditions for life on the planet.
Lynn margulis was an eminent american evolutionary biologist. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. Margulis, lynn alexander 1938, an american biologist, helped advance the study of the origins of cells. Lynn margulis, department of biology, boston university, 2. An illustrated guide to the phyla of life on earth and with dorion. Lynn margulis on hivaids, march 12, 2007 the scientific evidence. A multidisciplinary exploration of the controversial hypothesis that life is an active participant in shaping the physical and chemical environment on which it depends, a theory first introduced by james lovelock and lynn margulis in the early 1970s. Nov 24, 2011 lynn margulis describes gaia from the evo dvd. Lynn margulis 19382011 was distinguished professor of botany at the university of massachusetts at amherst.
Lynn margulis and the question of how cells evolved. Evolutionist lynn margulis showed that a major organizational event in the history of life. Delving into many issues not previously treated in accounts of gaia, bruce clarke describes the history of a theory that has the potential to help us survive an environmental crisis of our own making. This essay treats a selection of these newer gaian figures, specifically, isabelle stengerss gaia the intruder and bruno latours secular gaia, in relation to lovelocks gaia and lynn margulis s evocations of autopoietic gaia. The great biologist lynn margulis was born on this day in 1938. Gaia theory selfregulation homeostasis autopoiesis daisyworld 1. Click download or read online button to get lynn margulis book now. Since the end of 1980s, lynn margulis, lovelocks longstanding coauthor, proposed replacing gaia s homeostatic nature with an autopoietic and evolutionary one that is connected to secondorder cybernetic processes. Lynn margulis ms60 is one of those rare scientists whose research fundamentally altered the way we view the world so begins eric goldscheiders article evolution revolution in the fall 2009 issue of on wisconsin magazine. The gaia theory posits that the earth is a selfregulating complex system involving the biosphere, the atmosphere. Maybe that is one of the reasons that i work with bacteria and protoctists the eukaryotic microorganisms and their immediate descendants exclusive of plants, animals and fungi. She was the author of symbiotic planet, the origin of eukaryotic cells, early life, and symbiosis in cell evolution. Jun 26, 2012 since the end of 1980s, lynn margulis, lovelocks longstanding coauthor, proposed replacing gaias homeostatic nature with an autopoietic and evolutionary one that is connected to secondorder cybernetic processes.
When margulis passed away in 2011, she left behind a groundbreaking. Jun 25, 2019 the books include his endearing autobiography homage to gaia 2000, increasingly urgent warnings of climate devastation in the revenge of gaia 2006 and the vanishing face of gaia 2009, and. James lovelocks gaia hypothesis archive ouverte hal. In the 1970s, lovelock and the late american biologist lynn margulis developed the gaia hypothesis. Gender and scientific representations of the earth jstor. March 5, 1938 november 22, 2011 was an american evolutionary theorist, biologist, science author, educator, and science popularizer, and was the primary modern proponent for the significance of symbiosis in evolution. The gaia hypothesis and earth system science the following is an excerpt from scientists on gaia by stephen schneider and penelope boston mit press. An evolutionary theorist and biologist, science author, and educator, margulis was the modern originator of the symbiotic theory of cell evolution. Ma all life on earth is bacterial or derives, by symbiogenesis, from communities of bacteria. On november 22, lynn margulis, visionary biologist and however, margulis did more than rediscover endosymbiotic theory. This book explores the concept of autopoiesisthe centerpiece of a systems discourse that first emerged in the 1970s under the title secondorder cyberneticsin particular relation to marguliss pronunciation of gaia theory. Lovelock 1991 the topdown view of the earth as a single system, one that i call gaia. The gaia theory posits that the earth is a selfregulating complex system.
James lovelock and lynn margulis coined the phrase the gaia hypothesis to suggest not only that life has a greater influence on the evolution of the earth than. This essay treats a selection of these newer gaian figures, specifically, isabelle stengerss gaia the intruder and bruno latours secular gaia, in relation to lovelocks gaia and lynn marguliss evocations of autopoietic gaia. Dian hitchcock a philosopher, and later lynn margulis a molecular biologist sought to account for the anomalous composition of earths. Quate john roy whinnery margulis met with lovelock, who explained his gaia hypothesis to her, and very soon they began an intense collaborative effort on the concept. Each issue consists of provocative comments related to scientific issues that mostly focus on weather, climate, the sun, or near space, with the aim of creating a. For more than a century students of the evolution of the living and nonliving parts of the earth have known that life influences the physical and chemical characteristic of the planet. She did a whole bunch of stuff that i have to admit makes no sense to me.
Born in 1938, lynn was intellectually precocious, earning her bachelors degree from the university of chicago at age 18 and a berkeley phd 6 years later. Lynn margulis and the question of how cells evolved excerpts from the book doing biology by joel hagen et al modern biology inherited two great theories from the nineteenth century. Intellectually precocious, she graduated with a bachelors degree from the. Jan 24, 2012 on november 22, 2011, lynn margulis, visionary biologist and tireless champion of the microbial world, died of a massive stroke. Lynn margulis 19382011 gaia is a tough bitch from the third culture. This book explores the concept of autopoiesisthe centerpiece of a systems discourse that first emerged in the 1970s under the title secondorder cyberneticsin particular relation to margulis s pronunciation of gaia theory.
Her serial endosymbiotic theory set of eukaryotic cell development overturned the modern concept of how life originated on earth. Roberts explores the gaia hypothesis, first advanced in 1973 by james lovelock and lynn margulis. The gaia hypothesis states that certain conditions that sustain life are regulated by life itself. Microbiological collaboration of the gaia hypothesis. Nov 12, 2015 gaia theory james lovelock and lynn margulis. I greatly admire lynn margulis s sheer courage and stamina in sticking by the endosymbiosis theory, and carrying it through from being an unorthodoxy to an orthodoxy. This theory has become known as the serial endosymbiosis theory, or set. This enticing collection is as devoted to the profound power of figures of speech as any oration of old hellas. More specifically, the atmosphere and the sum of all. Gaia is symbiosis seen from space, to the european society for literature science and the arts slsaeu at their meeting on scale in malta this past spring. The gaia hypothesis a, also known as the gaia theory or the gaia principle, proposes. As far as science can determine, life started on earth about 3. Lynn margulis 19382011 evolutionary biologist nasa.
Lynn margulis was so intrigued by the idea of symbiosis, she became a contributor to the gaia hypothesis first proposed by james lovelock. Lynns enduring place in science was earned soon thereafter, with the publication of her theory of. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. The original gaia supposes that the temperature, oxidation state, acidity and since the end of s, lynn margulis, lovelocks longstanding. Lynn margulis and dorion sagan have put it all together, literally, in this extraordinary book, which is unlike any treatment of evolution for a general readership that i have encountered before. Moreover, intellectually serious extrascientific figures of gaia have also been on the rise in the last decade. Mar 01, 2020 lynn margulis, american biologist whose serial endosymbiotic theory of eukaryotic cell development revolutionized the modern concept of how life arose on earth.
Behold the beauty of evolution and revel in its glory. Lynn margulis, whose maiden name was lynn petra alexander, was a scientist born in the united states in 1938. England and lynn margulis, department of biology, boston university, 2, oummington street. The gaia paradigm employs the powerful metaphor of gaia to take the the theory gained an early supporter in lynn margulis, a microbiologist at the. Lynn margulis, distinguished professor in the department of geosciences at the university of massachusetts at amherst, has been a member of the national academy of sciences since 1983. A century of evolutionary theory without symbiogenesis is enough. On november 22, 2011, lynn margulis, visionary biologist and tireless champion of the microbial world, died of a massive stroke. Lynn margulis, one of the greatest scientists of the 20th21st century pas. Apr, 2020 the original gaia supposes that the temperature, oxidation state, acidity and since the end of s, lynn margulis, lovelocks longstanding. The gaia hypothesis was formulated by the chemist james lovelock and codeveloped by the microbiologist lynn margulis in the 1970s. She argued that different types of bacteria, through symbiogenesis, formed more complicated single organisms. The modern synthesis established that over time, natural selection acting on mutations could generate new adaptations and new species.
Margulis arrived at the gaian paradigm shift, mainly based on her authority in the field of the microcosmos. Lynn margulis available for download and read online in other formats. Her branch of specialization was evolutionary biology and her contributions in that field made her one of the most recognized researchers of the moment. Lynn margulis was a famous american biologist who codeveloped the gaia theory and studied evolution in nucleated cells. Microcosmos is nothing less than the saga of the life of the planet.
Lynn margulis is best qualified to discuss these topics as she was. Lynn margulis, distinguished university professor in the department of geosciences at the university of massachusetts at amherst, received the 1999 national medal of science from president bill clinton. Lynn margulis download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. Internationally renowned evolutionary biologist and author lynn margulis, a. By the 1990s, lynn margulis was coordinating the gaia concept with the suite of autopoietic systems theories also. Surprisingly, these theories, so central to our understanding of the living world, have had a rather uneasy relationship.
The hypothesis contends that this system as a whole, called gaia, seeks a physical and chemical environment optimal for contemporary life. Nov 26, 2011 lynn margulis, 73, a rebel within the realm of science, whose determined advocacy of her ideas about how new species arise helped change evolutionary biology, died nov. Mar 27, 2020 lynn margulis endosymbiosis pdf lynn margulis was an american evolutionary theorist and biologist, science author, educator, and popularizer, and was. Golding suggested gaia, the ancient greek name for the goddess of the earth. Metaphor reigns as we encounter the identification of our earth as a single, integrative organism, a tale told in image and passion. But did that mean that new lineages and adaptations only form by branching off of old ones and inheriting the genes of the old lineage. A damn good question, and lynn margulis and dorion sagan do a fine job of answering it. Gaian systems is a pioneering exploration of the dynamic and complex evolution of gaia s many variants, with special attention to lynn margulis s foundational role in these developments. To know more about her childhood, career, profile and timeline read on. Margulis was best known for her theory of symbiogenesis, which challenges central tenets of neodarwinism. Lynn margulis 19382011 was distinguished university professor in the department of geology at the university of massachusetts, amherst.
She developed the symbiotic theory, which states that bacteria played a major role in the development of living cells. According to them, gaia is a term for the interactions of all living things on earth with their nonliving surroundings. In 1968, at a nasa meeting on origins of life, lovelock met lynn margulis 1938 2011, at that. Ive finally gotten to the point where i understand basic human continue reading. She is best known for her pathbreaking work on the bacterial origins of cell organelles and for her collaboration with james lovelock on gaia theory. Pdf after a career as a chemist and engineer, james lovelock proposed the gaia hypothesis in the 1970s with lynn margulis, a biologist. Intellectually precocious, she graduated with a bachelors degree from the university of chicago in 1957. Against much opposition currently a distinguished professor at the university of massachusetts amherst, the faculty home page for dr lynn margulis plays down the scale of achievements which, against much opposition, lynn margulis has achieved over the last few decades. The gaia hypothesis and earth system science stephen schneider. Once considered heresy, her ideas are now part of the microbiological revolution. Margulis was also a champion of the gaia hypothesis, an idea developed in the 1970s by the free lance british atmospheric chemist james e.
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