Gaia
Book description
In this classic work that continues to inspire many readers, Jim Lovelock puts forward his idea that the Earth functions as a single organism. Written for non-scientists, Gaia is a journey through time and space in search of evidence in support of a radically different model of our planet. In…
Why read it?
2 authors picked Gaia as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
Lovelock’s revolutionary discovery that earth’s living matter—air, ocean, and land surfaces—forms a complex system that has the capacity to keep our planet a fit place for life.
It is vital in instilling the knowledge in all those who inhabit the earth that Gaia (the Greek goddess of the earth) is not inert matter but a living organism.
As we imagine the earth as a living being, we may have second thoughts about doing her further harm…
From Leopoldine's list on the woodlands before the Industrial Revolution.
This beautifully written book continues to exert massive influence, in politics as well as science. The author applied physiological thinking to the ecosystem scale and saw evidence of a global entity with the characteristics of a self-regulating, self-repairing organism. Like the Superorganism choice above, this book made me start to think at different levels at the same time, and see yet more wonder in our amazing planet.
From Jamie's list on to make you think about biology.
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