50 years of «Gaia» theory on the centenary of the birth of James Lovelock (1919-2019)

Abstract

On 2019 we remember the centenary of the birth of James Lovelock. His Gaia hypothesis or theory also celebrates half a century, as it was first described in 1969. Lovelock defined Gaia as “a complex entity involving the biosphere, atmosphere, oceans and land, constituting in its entirety a feedback system that seeks an optimal physical and chemical environment for life on the planet”. At the time, the Gaia hypothesis generated intense debates in the scientific and philosophical community due to its social and even metaphysical implications. It was a new frontier. This article evaluates what remains of Gaia half a century later.