Gaia : And the Theory of the Living Planet

Gaia : And the Theory of the Living Planet by Lovelock, James. paperback edition. ISBN: 9781856752312.

The Gaia hypothesis, first put forth in the mid-1960s, and published in book form in 1975, explores the idea that the life of earth functions as a single organism which actually defines and maintains conditions necessary for its survival. Disclaiming the conventional belief that living matter reacts passively in the face of threats to its existence, Lovelock argues that the earths living matter - air, ocean, and land surfaces - forms a complex system which has the capacity to keep our planet a fit place for life. Now reissued with an updated preface which discusses how Lovelocks predictions have already begun to hold true, Gaia has dramatically altered the way scientists view evolution and the environment.