Podcast Summary
Apple Card's daily cashback and high savings yield: Apple Card provides daily cashback on purchases and a high annual percentage yield on savings, encouraging financial growth for its users
Apple Card offers daily cashback on purchases and a high annual percentage yield on savings, while Gaia hypothesis, an ancient belief that Earth is a living entity, was once criticized but is now being reconsidered by scientists. Apple Card, in simple terms, rewards its users with daily cashback on every purchase and a high annual percentage yield when they open a savings account. The cashback earnings can be grown at a rate of 4.50 percent annual percentage yield. Apple Card is subject to credit approval, and savings are available to Apple Card owners subject to eligibility. The Gaia hypothesis, on the other hand, is an ancient belief that suggests the Earth is a living entity. Developed in the 1960s and 70s, this idea proposes that the Earth's various systems, such as the water cycle, volcanoes, the ocean, and the atmosphere, are interconnected and form a self-sustaining system. Although initially criticized and ridiculed, some scientists are now reconsidering this idea as they grapple with the question of whether an ecosystem or a planet can be considered alive. Despite the lack of a perfect definition of life, the Gaia hypothesis challenges conventional ideas and continues to spark debate in the scientific community.
Earth as a Living Organism: Earth is not just a lifeless entity but a living organism with various systems that maintain its conditions for life, including geological, atmospheric, and hydrological systems.
According to Farris Schaeffer's argument, Earth is alive. The first reason being that life is not just on Earth but is a literal extension of it. The material of life comes from Earth, and every layer of the planet that we've explored has shown the presence of life. Even though some parts of Earth are not alive, like its core, it is still true that we and other organisms are a combination of the animate and inanimate. The second reason is that organisms, or what we call life, give Earth an anatomy and physiology. Just as an organism has different systems that work together, Earth has geological, atmospheric, and hydrological systems that maintain its conditions for life. These systems work together to sustain the planet and its inhabitants. Therefore, Earth is not just a lifeless entity but a living organism in its own right.
Earth as a living organism: processes and functions: The Earth functions as a living organism through processes like energy absorption, gas exchange, and chemical reactions, influenced by life, particularly photosynthetic organisms.
The Earth functions as a living organism in a metaphorical sense, with processes such as energy absorption, gas exchange, and complex chemical reactions occurring on a planetary scale. This is due to the presence of life, particularly photosynthetic organisms, which increase the Earth's capacity to perform these functions. While the Earth and living organisms are not identical, there are analogies and similarities between them. For example, the Earth's atmospheric carbon dioxide and oxygen levels fluctuate in a rhythmic pattern, much like the breathing of a living organism. This perspective highlights that life exists at multiple scales, and the debate begins when we consider whether ecosystems and the planet as a whole can be considered alive.
The Gaia hypothesis: Life and Earth's interconnectedness: The Gaia hypothesis suggests that Earth functions as a self-sustaining system where life plays a crucial role in shaping and adapting the environment, contributing to its ongoing development and sustainability.
That Gaia, the spirit of the earth, argues that each level or scale of life on Earth is equally alive but not identical. This perspective, known as the Gaia hypothesis, suggests that Earth functions as a self-sustaining system that evolves. Although some scientists have criticized this idea due to its departure from conventional definitions of life, Farris Schaeffer, author of "Becoming Earth," presents compelling arguments for how the Earth does indeed fit this definition. In the third part of his argument, Schaeffer emphasizes that life not only extends from and is an anatomy of the planet but also acts as an engine of planetary evolution. This means that life plays a crucial role in shaping and adapting the Earth's environment, contributing to its ongoing development and sustainability. As we continue to explore this topic, it's important to remember that the Gaia hypothesis offers a unique perspective on the relationship between life and the planet, emphasizing their interconnectedness and interdependence. This perspective can inspire a deeper appreciation for the natural world and our role within it.
The Earth and life have coevolved, leading to significant changes like oxygenation: Life's impact on Earth has led to major transformations, including the oxygenation of the planet, shaping its chemistry and influencing future evolution
The Earth and life have coevolved over billions of years, leading to many of the planet's defining features. The Earth's evolution is not the same as Darwinian evolution through natural selection, but it is a type of evolution characterized by dramatic changes over time. One of the most significant changes brought about by life is the oxygenation of Earth, which began with cyanobacteria and continued with the advent of land plants. This shift from an oxygen-poor to an oxygen-rich environment transformed the entire chemistry of the planet. Although the Earth does not have a cohesive genome or undergo sexual reproduction, changes brought about by life are passed down from generation to generation, influencing the evolution that follows. This coevolution of life and environment requires an update to modern evolutionary theory, emphasizing the interconnectedness of life and its impact on the planet.
The Earth's self-regulating system through coevolution: Coevolution enhances the Earth's capacity for self-regulation and resilience through complex interplays between Earth and life forms, such as the planetary thermostat.
The Earth and its life forms have coevolved in a complex interplay that enhances the planet's capacity for self-regulation and resilience. This process, known as the extended evolutionary synthesis, recognizes that natural selection is not the only driving force in evolution. The Earth, much like an organism, evolves through various processes, including coevolution. One striking example of this is the planetary thermostat, which regulates the Earth's climate through a feedback loop involving carbon dioxide, plankton, rain, and weathering. This system, which has been in place for billions of years, has enabled the Earth to recover from catastrophic events and maintain a habitable environment. While the Earth can technically operate without life, the presence of life amplifies the power of the planetary thermostat, making it a crucial component of the Earth's self-regulating system.
Viewing Earth as a living entity: Every action impacts the Earth as a living entity, requiring individual and collective efforts to protect it.
The Earth should be viewed as a living entity, not just a planet we inhabit. This perspective shifts our mindset from harming the environment to being a part of a larger living entity that we must protect. The Earth has its own version of evolution, mechanisms to heal itself, and rhyming structures similar to organisms. Understanding this connection is crucial because every action we take impacts this living entity, and the climate crisis highlights the interconnectedness of the tiny and the planetary. We are not just individuals, but a part of this larger living entity called Earth. The phrase "we are Earth defending itself" is no longer metaphorical, but literally true when considering the Earth as a living entity. This perspective also emphasizes the importance of both individual actions and collective political action to protect the Earth. This was the first episode of our book club, and we bid farewell to Brian Resnick, who has been a significant contributor to the show. He will always be a part of the show's DNA. To celebrate his departure, we played a moment from the pilot episode before this show was even a show.
Exploring the mysteries of science and running: Encountering vast mysteries inspires a sense of optimism and curiosity, driving us to explore and seek answers in science and athletics.
Key takeaway from the conversation on Unexplainable is the feeling of awe and humility when encountering vast mysteries, like the unknown depths of the Grand Canyon or the enigma of dark matter. These moments inspire a sense of optimism and curiosity, driving us to explore and seek answers. The Unexplainable team will continue to delve into the grand canyon of science, missing Brian but excited for the journey ahead. In a similar vein, the new docu series "Running Socks" by Team Milk explores why women runners are driven to push themselves despite hating the experience at times. This sense of determination and self-empowerment is a common thread in both the scientific and athletic realms. To learn more about the Every Woman's Marathon, visit everywomensmarathon.com. Remember, Unexplainable is free and supported by listener donations, so consider giving at vox.com/give or leaving a review.
