Gaia hypothesis

Theory that the Earth's living and nonliving systems form an inseparable whole that is regulated and kept adapted for life by living organisms themselves. The planet therefore functions as a single organism, or a giant cell. The hypothesis was elaborated by British scientist James Lovelock and first published in 1968.

It was not named ‘Gaia’ until some years later, at the suggestion of the writer William Golding (‘Gaia’ was the goddess of the Earth in Ancient Greek mythology).