Tyler Volk is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at New York University

New York University

New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...

. Volk is an active proponent of the Gaia hypothesis

Gaia hypothesis

The Gaia hypothesis, also known as Gaia theory or Gaia principle, proposes that all organisms and their inorganic surroundings on Earth are closely integrated to form a single and self-regulating complex system, maintaining the conditions for life on the planet.The scientific investigation of the...

. A 1989 study, co-authored by Volk, published in the journal Nature

Nature (journal)

Nature, first published on 4 November 1869, is ranked the world's most cited interdisciplinary scientific journal by the Science Edition of the 2010 Journal Citation Reports...

 asserts that without the cooling effects of living things, Earth would be 80 degrees Fahrenheit warmer.

Tyler Volk has authored four books: Gaia Toma Cuerpo (Geografia); Gaia's Body: Toward a Physiology of Earth; What is Death?: A Scientist Looks at the Cycle of Life and Metapatterns.

External links

• NYU faculty page
• Video (and audio) interview/conversation with Tyler Volk and Carl Zimmer
  Carl Zimmer
  Carl Zimmer is a popular science writer and blogger, especially regarding the study of evolution and parasites. He has written several books and contributes science essays to publications such as The New York Times and Discover...
  
   on Bloggingheads.tv
  Bloggingheads.tv
  Bloggingheads.tv is a political, world events, philosophy, and science video blog discussion site in which the participants take part in an active back and forth conversation via webcam which is then broadcast online to viewers...
  
  
• Review of CO2 Rising: The World's Greatest Environmental Challenge at Nature
  Nature (journal)
  Nature, first published on 4 November 1869, is ranked the world's most cited interdisciplinary scientific journal by the Science Edition of the 2010 Journal Citation Reports...