Adam Frank

the planet will always stay in the right kinds of conditions for life. And now when this theory came out, it was very controversial. People were like, oh my God, you know, what are you smoking weed? You know, and like, there were all these guy and festivals with guy and dances. And so, you know, it became very popular in the new age community.

the planet will always stay in the right kinds of conditions for life. And now when this theory came out, it was very controversial. People were like, oh my God, you know, what are you smoking weed? You know, and like, there were all these guy and festivals with guy and dances. And so, you know, it became very popular in the new age community.

But Lovelock, actually, they were able to show that, no, this has nothing to do with the planet being conscious or anything. It was about these feedbacks that the biology, the biosphere can exert these feedbacks. And now that's become, whether or not, we're still unclear whether there are true Gaian feedbacks in the sense that the planet can really exert complete control.

But Lovelock, actually, they were able to show that, no, this has nothing to do with the planet being conscious or anything. It was about these feedbacks that the biology, the biosphere can exert these feedbacks. And now that's become, whether or not, we're still unclear whether there are true Gaian feedbacks in the sense that the planet can really exert complete control.

But Lovelock, actually, they were able to show that, no, this has nothing to do with the planet being conscious or anything. It was about these feedbacks that the biology, the biosphere can exert these feedbacks. And now that's become, whether or not, we're still unclear whether there are true Gaian feedbacks in the sense that the planet can really exert complete control.

But it is absolutely true that the biosphere is a major player in Earth's history. So the biosphere fights for homeostasis on Earth. So, okay, what I would say right now is I don't know if I can say that scientifically. I can certainly say that the biosphere does a huge amount of the regulation of the planetary state and over billions of years has strongly modified the evolution of the planet.

But it is absolutely true that the biosphere is a major player in Earth's history. So the biosphere fights for homeostasis on Earth. So, okay, what I would say right now is I don't know if I can say that scientifically. I can certainly say that the biosphere does a huge amount of the regulation of the planetary state and over billions of years has strongly modified the evolution of the planet.

But it is absolutely true that the biosphere is a major player in Earth's history. So the biosphere fights for homeostasis on Earth. So, okay, what I would say right now is I don't know if I can say that scientifically. I can certainly say that the biosphere does a huge amount of the regulation of the planetary state and over billions of years has strongly modified the evolution of the planet.

So whether or not a true guy in feedback would be exactly what you said, right? The biosphere is this somehow, and Sarah Walker and David Grinspoon and I actually did a paper on this about the idea of planetary intelligence or cognition across a planetary scale. And I think that actually is possible. It's not conscious, but there is a kind of cognitive activity going on.

So whether or not a true guy in feedback would be exactly what you said, right? The biosphere is this somehow, and Sarah Walker and David Grinspoon and I actually did a paper on this about the idea of planetary intelligence or cognition across a planetary scale. And I think that actually is possible. It's not conscious, but there is a kind of cognitive activity going on.

So whether or not a true guy in feedback would be exactly what you said, right? The biosphere is this somehow, and Sarah Walker and David Grinspoon and I actually did a paper on this about the idea of planetary intelligence or cognition across a planetary scale. And I think that actually is possible. It's not conscious, but there is a kind of cognitive activity going on.

The biosphere, in some sense, knows what is happening because of these feedbacks. So it's still unclear whether we have these full Gaian feedbacks, but we certainly have semi-Gaian feedbacks. If there's a perturbation on the planetary scale, temperature, you know, insulation, how much sunlight's coming in, the biosphere will start to have feedbacks that will damp that perturbation.

The biosphere, in some sense, knows what is happening because of these feedbacks. So it's still unclear whether we have these full Gaian feedbacks, but we certainly have semi-Gaian feedbacks. If there's a perturbation on the planetary scale, temperature, you know, insulation, how much sunlight's coming in, the biosphere will start to have feedbacks that will damp that perturbation.

The biosphere, in some sense, knows what is happening because of these feedbacks. So it's still unclear whether we have these full Gaian feedbacks, but we certainly have semi-Gaian feedbacks. If there's a perturbation on the planetary scale, temperature, you know, insulation, how much sunlight's coming in, the biosphere will start to have feedbacks that will damp that perturbation.

Temperature goes up, the biosphere starts doing something, temperature comes down.

Temperature goes up, the biosphere starts doing something, temperature comes down.

Temperature goes up, the biosphere starts doing something, temperature comes down.

Well, I'm glad you asked that question because that paper that David and Sarah and I wrote, what we were arguing was is that over the history of a planet, right, when life first forms, you know, 3.8 billion years ago, it's kind of thin on the ground, right? You've got the first species, you know, these are all microbes.

Well, I'm glad you asked that question because that paper that David and Sarah and I wrote, what we were arguing was is that over the history of a planet, right, when life first forms, you know, 3.8 billion years ago, it's kind of thin on the ground, right? You've got the first species, you know, these are all microbes.

Well, I'm glad you asked that question because that paper that David and Sarah and I wrote, what we were arguing was is that over the history of a planet, right, when life first forms, you know, 3.8 billion years ago, it's kind of thin on the ground, right? You've got the first species, you know, these are all microbes.