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Gaia

www.woodka.com/wp-content/stuff/breath_gaia.jpg. Gaia. Presented by: Tae Griffin, Brett Corbett, and Brad Goss. Defining Gaia. The theory that the planet Earth is a complex organism including both living and nonliving matter The origin of the name Gaia comes from the Greek Earth Goddess

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Gaia

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  1. www.woodka.com/wp-content/stuff/breath_gaia.jpg Gaia Presented by: Tae Griffin, Brett Corbett, and Brad Goss

  2. Defining Gaia • The theory that the planet Earth is a complex organism including both living and nonliving matter • The origin of the name Gaia comes from the Greek Earth Goddess • Also known as the Earth system sciences • Less controversial term http://www.greyschool.com/store/upload/New-Web-Gaia-300.jpg

  3. History of Gaia • First proposed in the 1960’s by Dr. James Lovelock • He authored the books “The Gaia Hypothesis” and Gaia “A New Look at Life on Earth” • Since 1971, Dr. Lynn Margulis has worked as Dr. Lovelock's most important collaborator in developing Gaianconcepts. • Ignored until the New Scientist published an article in February of 1975 • Inspired the full length book The Quest for Gaia attracting the attention of many biologists http://www.harmsy.freeuk.com/images/earth2.jpeg

  4. The early years • The Earth was proposed as a living organism • Currently, the Earth is seen as a community in which thing coexist and work together • This holds true for any multi-cellular organism • Changes occur in cycles http://www.lionking.org/imgarchive/Miscellaneous_Images/CircleOfLife2-WP.jpg

  5. Global Warming • As humans put more green house gasses into the atmosphere the temperature of the Earth in turn increases • Believers in Gaia would suggest that the Earth will eradicate this problem on its own • Life on Earth will take care of this excess by absorbing the gasses http://www.ecoenquirer.com/global-warming-porn.jpg

  6. Self Regulation • As CO2 levels rise, plants thriving on the gas flourish, thus decreasing green house gas levels • Earth’s plate tectonics allow for impact crater scars to be erased from the surface • When the species on the Earth exhaust resources, mass extinctions occur • Humans next? http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/7e/Mooncrater.jpg/300px-Mooncrater.jpg

  7. Young Sun Paradox • Early in the Sun’s evolution it was far cooler than it is presently • Over time as the Sun’s temperature increased, CO2 levels decreased • CO2 was absorbed by the rocks and oceans • Where greater quantities of green house gasses were present, the Earth was warmer https://www1108.verio-web.com/astr88/pubs/mercury/35_06/images/hooked.jpg

  8. http://www.kidsgeo.com/images/earths-atmosphere.jpg Weak Gaia vs. Strong Gaia • Weak Gaia • The theory that organisms on Earth alter their composition to survive • Evolution • Strong Gaia • The theory that the Earth is consciously changing the atmosphere and organisms to survive • Far less accepted

  9. http://www.naset.org/uploads/pics/student_discipline.gif Criticisms • The Earth is not able to reproduce • Some propose that the Earth is in progress of reproducing • Humans Terraforming other planet would be a way of passing on genetic information

  10. Our Thoughts • Weak Gaia is highly plausible as it holds many ties to evolution • Professor Z terraforming the moon http://firstyear.uoregon.edu/FYP_Pages/FYP_SprSeminarsFaculty.html

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