Earth immune system
Encyclopedia
The Earth immune system is a controversial proposal, claimed to be a consequence of the Gaia hypothesis.
The Gaia hypothesis holds that the entire earth may be considered a single organism (Gaia).
As a self-maintaining organism, Earth would possess an immune system
of some sort in order to maintain its health.
Some proponents of this speculative concept, for example, hold that humankind
can be considered an "infection
" of Gaia, and that AIDS
is an attempt by this immune system to reject the infection.
"Cancer
" might be a more accurate term, as humans evolved
within Gaia, and are not external invaders.
An opposite view is that humankind is Gaia's immune system itself, perhaps evolved to avert future catastrophes such as the Permian
and Cretaceous
mass extinctions of species.
James Lovelock
's book "Gaia's Revenge" suggests that Gaia has many mechanisms for eliminating civilisations that do harm through greenhouse gas emissions and global warming
, but suggests that with increasing heat being received from the sun, Gaia's ability to "bounce back" as it did after the Permian
and Cretaceous
extinction
events, may be increasingly compromised.
The Gaia hypothesis holds that the entire earth may be considered a single organism (Gaia).
As a self-maintaining organism, Earth would possess an immune system
Immune system
An immune system is a system of biological structures and processes within an organism that protects against disease by identifying and killing pathogens and tumor cells. It detects a wide variety of agents, from viruses to parasitic worms, and needs to distinguish them from the organism's own...
of some sort in order to maintain its health.
Some proponents of this speculative concept, for example, hold that humankind
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
can be considered an "infection
Infection
An infection is the colonization of a host organism by parasite species. Infecting parasites seek to use the host's resources to reproduce, often resulting in disease...
" of Gaia, and that AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
is an attempt by this immune system to reject the infection.
"Cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
" might be a more accurate term, as humans evolved
Evolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
within Gaia, and are not external invaders.
An opposite view is that humankind is Gaia's immune system itself, perhaps evolved to avert future catastrophes such as the Permian
Permian-Triassic extinction event
The Permian–Triassic extinction event, informally known as the Great Dying, was an extinction event that occurred 252.28 Ma ago, forming the boundary between the Permian and Triassic geologic periods, as well as the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras...
and Cretaceous
Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event
The Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, formerly named and still commonly referred to as the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event, occurred approximately 65.5 million years ago at the end of the Maastrichtian age of the Cretaceous period. It was a large-scale mass extinction of animal and plant...
mass extinctions of species.
James Lovelock
James Lovelock
James Lovelock, CH, CBE, FRS is an independent scientist, environmentalist and futurologist who lives in Devon, England. He is best known for proposing the Gaia hypothesis, which postulates that the biosphere is a self-regulating entity with the capacity to keep our planet healthy by controlling...
's book "Gaia's Revenge" suggests that Gaia has many mechanisms for eliminating civilisations that do harm through greenhouse gas emissions and global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
, but suggests that with increasing heat being received from the sun, Gaia's ability to "bounce back" as it did after the Permian
Permian
The PermianThe term "Permian" was introduced into geology in 1841 by Sir Sir R. I. Murchison, president of the Geological Society of London, who identified typical strata in extensive Russian explorations undertaken with Edouard de Verneuil; Murchison asserted in 1841 that he named his "Permian...
and Cretaceous
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
extinction
Extinction
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
events, may be increasingly compromised.