Product Description

In his first book, Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth, James Lovelock proposed a startling new theory of life: the Earth, its rocks, oceans, atmosphere, and all living things are part of one great organism, evolving over the vast span of geological time. Much scientific work has since confirmed his theory and in The Ages of Gaia he examines environmental and scientific issues in detail, including the greenhouse effect, acid rain, the depletion of the ozone layer, and the destruction of tropical forests. For this second edition he has updated the text throughout and added a new chapter on recent advances in our scientific knowledge. He sounds a warning of the damage man is doing to the health of the planet. 'We have already changed the atmosphere to an extent unprecedented in recent geological history. We seem to be driving ourselves heedlessly down a slope into a sea that is rising to drown us.'

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #115032 in Books
• Published on: 2000-09-28
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 277 pages

About the Author
James Lovelock is an independent scientist, inventor, and author. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 1974 and in 1990 was awarded the first Amsterdam Prize for the Environment by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. One of his inventions is the electron capture detector, which was important in the development of environmental awareness. It revealed for the first time the ubiquitous distribution of pesticide residues. He co-operated with NASA and some of
his inventions were adopted in their programme of planetary exploration.

Customer Reviews

Essential
It has taken all humankind until Mr. Lovelock, before someone has had the insight, in an eureka moment, to understand how our precious planet really works. We are privileged to benefit from his pluridisciplinar background and independence of thought. The breakthrough laid down in this one book, in a very entertaining style, is only comparable to a handful of stellar moments in the history of humankind: our planet is suitable for life, precisely because all forms of life ceasessly toil to render it habitable. Go ahead, change forever the way you look at the world and your assessment of you place and role on it.

A clever book - makes you think!
In this book J. Lovelock really shows the power of the Gaia way of thinking. It is not necessary to have read the earlier books but it sure helps!
One of the most exiting features is the insight it offers in gaia reactions over time.

Reaction to previous review
I have just heard James Lovelock interviewed on the radio. He is an extremely clear, insightful and original scientist who doesn't deserve the kind of patronisation he has been given here. His findings are not 'weird', he does not presume to have 'proved' anything via science and it's not as if he wrote this book as light reading for train journeys. I myself am going to buy it, read it, and possibly review it at a later date.