 G |
Gaia:
Is earth alive ? |
Gaia hypothesis is one
of the most interesting and revealing theory about our relation with our
big home - this planet earth. Propounded by James Lovelock - a great
scientific thinker of our time, this theory, if analyze in right
perspective, has the potential to completely change the way we look at
world around us.
'Gaia'
has been named after the
name of the Greek goddess for earth.
The Gaia principle is based on a
simple truth :
Organisms alter their environment.
Let us understand it in some more detail :
We will start with two questions:
The
first one is:
Why there is
life on earth ?
The answer is simple:
Because
there are suitable conditions for life to survive. Simple !
Now the second question:
Why there are suitable conditions
for
life on earth ?
The answer, again, is
simple:
Because there is life on
earth.
This is all what Gaia
theory is about. Both the above two answers are dependent on each other.
It implies that Life on earth itself creates vast feedback that ensure
its own survival.
Now
when I say 'life', what does it mean ?
It
means the collective life on earth. The collective activities of all
living creatures on earth.
All
the living creatures on earth, from the tiniest of the bacteria to the
largest of the mammals, are contributing in maintaining an optimum
environment for life. In other words, activities of life on earth are
ensuring its own survival.
This
is the Gaia hypothesis which stipulates that the earth as a whole acts
like a super organism and ensures the survival of all forms of life on
it.
Now
you must be wondering what this is all about?
Read
on..
Gaia
hypothesis is an reinforcement of the fact that we all are
interconnected with each other. So survival of other species is as
important as our own survival. The extinction of even a single species
may create havoc for our planet.
Let
us understand Gaia from an example
We
all know that clouds bring rain which is extremely essential for our
ecosystem. Do you know how clouds are formed over ocean ?. One
of the most obvious reason is that the heating effects of sun causes
the
ocean water to vaporize and results in clouds. However, besides this there is one
more important cause for formation of clouds. Tiny green plants (known
as Microscopic Planktons) keep floating on the surface of ocean. As
a part of their life cycle, they release sulphur compounds in air.
These sulphur molecules drift up and encourage water molecule to
condense. The water drops come close and results in clouds. Clouds not
only give water to our lands, but (owing to their highly reflective
nature) also acts as a mirror and reflect the radiation of sun,
thus, helps in cooling the earth. Such an interesting
phenomena is caused by tiny green plants on ocean surface. The
interesting thing is that these plants are not the only beneficiary of
clouds formation. Rather the whole system benefits from it. this is a
typical example of a Gaian cycle where life affects the nature.
So
What is the lesson of Gaia ?
First
of all, it is soothing and startling to know that all forms of life are interconnected
with each other and are contributing in maintaining congenial life
conditions for everybody.
Secondly,
it also indicates that all living activities in their collective forms,
help the earth to maintain its wonderful qualities of a living
planet.
Often
in the vanity of our urban psyche and in our isolated cities far
from any kind of natural contact, we tend to think ourselves as
something special, the only real intelligent species of this
planet.
However,
the Gaia hypothesis open our eyes to this revealing truth that we all
human beings (along with other living species) are part of this super
organism earth. This fact makes us humble and reveal the truth that
whatever wonder we can do with our science and technology, we are
destined to remain engulfed by a huge quasi-organism - our planet
earth. It also restore the truth of religions that we are, whether we
like it or not, a part of something much larger than ourselves.
Gaia : A
primitive and modern fact :
An interesting experiment for you.
If
there is anyone really living on this earth, it is our living planet earth
itself. All other life forms just come and go. Here I request you to
consider this imaginary and very interesting hypothesis.
Imagine
that you are sitting on a chair placed in outer space. You are watching
the earth as it revolves around the sun. Imagine that as if by some
magic you are able to see all the activities of life happening on every
corner of earth. From that chair you are watching all facets of
human and other lives - birth, death, war, triumph, failure etc.
As
you are watching these phenomena of life from outer space, imagine
that the time frame of that place ( where you are sitting in outer
space) changes in such a way that 1 minute of that place becomes equal
to 1000 years of earth. Imagine it clearly.
Now
tell me what you will see in 1 hour ?
In
60 minutes of sitting on that imaginary chair in outer space , you will
see a period of 60,000 years on earth.
Can
you guess what you'll see ? You will not be able to see any human
life in its consistency. In such a vast period of time (condensed to a
duration of 1 hour in a different time scale) you will only be able to
see the movements of life in its collective form. When 1 minute equals 1000 years, people
will just come and go like a flash of light. You will see life coming
from nowhere and again merging into unknown. The only constant thing
will be the earth itself with its varied form. You will feel the
presence of only one living organism - Earth ! maintaining its life
supporting activity with the help of all other living organisms it
contains.
James
lovelock writes in the concluding part of his book
'Homage to Gaia: The
life of an independent scientist'
:-
" The scientific evidence, is
now strong enough for me to take a chance and put my trust on Gaia. It
is comforting to think that I am a part of her and to know that my
destiny is to merge with the chemistry of our living planet. "
Yes
the destiny of all of us is to merge in the chemistry of our living
planet. Gaia consoles us by telling our true place in nature. Whenever
you find yourself in a natural surrounding, observe the nature around
you from the perspective of Gaia. The sky, lake, ocean, mountains,
flowers, plants, tiny birds, big mammals, you, your friends and the
whole human race - we all are part of our living planet earth ! All
of us are contributing collectively in making life sustainable. All things in
this world are interdependent on each other. Discard the notions of supremacy. We all
are equal for our mother earth. We all are her parts. .
You
can learn more about Gaia at
here :
http://www.gaianet.fsbusiness.co.uk/gaiatheory.html ,
here :
http://erg.ucd.ie/arupa/references/gaia.html and
here :
http://www.scienceclarified.com/Ex-Ga/Gaia-Hypothesis.html
- a link send by a reader Mr. Nathan
Savicki from US. Thanks to him !
Next
:
the
2nd idea for contemplation
Bhagawad Gita:
The cosmic play of God
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