Gaia hypothesis

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Science & Tech

Gaia hypothesis

Earth science

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Feb 23, 2024 • Article History

Category: Science & Tech

Key People:: James Lovelock; Lynn Margulis

Related Topics:: evolution; life; biology; Earth; environment

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Gaia hypothesis, model of the Earth in which its living and nonliving parts are viewed as a complex interacting system that can be thought of as a single organism. Developed c. 1972 largely by British chemist James E. Lovelock and U.S. biologist Lynn Margulis, the Gaia hypothesis is named for the Greek Earth goddess. It postulates that all living things have a regulatory effect on the Earth’s environment that promotes life overall; the Earth is homeostatic in support of life-sustaining conditions. The theory is highly controversial.

This article was most recently revised and updated by John P. Rafferty.