Ecological Worldviews: Gaia Theory

The Gaia hypothesis, or Gaia theory, was formulated by scientists James Lovelock and Lynn Margulis in the 1960s. They proposed that Earth’s biosphere and its physical environment provide evidence for complex, planet-wide homeostasis, a self-regulating system inclined to balance the conditions desirable for life. The hypothesis portrays Earth as a living organism—rivers and oceans, rocks and mountains, air and atmosphere, and all species of organic life. Given the interdependence of all subjects on Earth, the health of one affects the health of the whole. Some scientists have historically expressed skepticism towards the Gaia hypothesis. Yet this theory has gained more positive reception from recent developments in Earth systems theory and scientific fields including atmospheric science, geochemistry, hydrology, and biology.