L1: The Gaia Hypothesis
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what is the aim of earth system science?
to understand how the planet functions as a WHOLE system (one super organism rather than a sum of its parts)
how old is the planet?
4.5 billion years old
why are humans only PARTIALLY responsible for global warming?
have no influence on events that occurred thousands of years ago e.g. melting of last glacial ice sheet has influence on regional crustal movement
who proposed the Gaia Hypothesis? and when was it published?
James Lovelock (1979)
what does the Gaia Hypothesis suggest?
the Earth is a self-regulating system
what is an example of the self regulation of Earth?
the existence of life transforms and regulates Earth’s atmospheric composition
what are the respective %/ amounts of nitrogen, oxygen, CH4 and CO2 in Earth’s atmosphere?
78% 21% trace amounts 0.3%
why was pre biotic Earth’s atmospheric composition different from post biotic earth?
oxygen generated by photosynthesis/autotrophic organisms CH4 continually generated by life due to highly reactive nature CO2 maintained at low level by life
what are some criticisms of the Gaia Hypothesis?
can the earth be defined as a n organism? teleological- defined by purpose phenomena serves rather than the cause (pseudo-religious) lovelock misunderstood some fundamental processes
who wrote silent spring?
Rachel Carson
what was Rachel Carson credited with?
the environmental movement
when was ‘silent spring’ published?
1962
what were the apollo moon shots?
first images of Earth taken from space
when were the apollo moon shots taken?
1968-1972