Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

What is Evolutionary History?02:35

What is Evolutionary History?

39.9K
Scientists record evolutionary history by analyzing fossil, morphological, and genetic data. The fossil record documents the history of life on Earth and provides evidence for evolution. However, both fossil and living organisms offer evidence that outlines Earth’s evolutionary history.
39.9K
Eukaryotic Evolution01:24

Eukaryotic Evolution

36.5K
The endosymbiont theory is the most widely accepted theory of eukaryotic evolution; however, its progression is still somewhat debated. According to the nucleus-first hypothesis, the ancestral prokaryote first evolved a membrane to enclose DNA and form the nucleus. Conversely, the mitochondria-first hypothesis suggests that the nucleus was formed after endosymbiosis of mitochondria.
Contrary to the endosymbiont theory, the eukaryote-first hypothesis proposes that the simpler prokaryotic and...
36.5K
The Evidence for Evolution02:55

The Evidence for Evolution

44.1K
Genetic variations accumulating within populations over generations give rise to biological evolution. Evolutionary changes can result in the formation of novel varieties and entire new species. These changes are responsible for the diverse forms of life inhabiting the planet. The evidence for evolution suggests that all living organisms descended from common ancestors.
44.1K
Evolutionary Psychology01:20

Evolutionary Psychology

424
Evolutionary psychology explores the origins of human behavior and mental processes by framing them within the context of natural selection, a theory famously propounded by Charles Darwin. This field asserts that many behaviors common across human societies — ranging from instinctive fear reactions to complex social interactions — arose as evolutionary adaptations. These adaptations enhanced the survival and reproductive success of our ancestors, thereby becoming embedded in the...
424
The Colonization of Land02:22

The Colonization of Land

35.7K
Changes in the environment of the early Earth drove the evolution of organisms. As prokaryotic organisms in the oceans began to photosynthesize, they produced oxygen. Eventually, oxygen saturated the oceans and entered the air, resulting in an increase in atmospheric oxygen concentration, known as the oxygen revolution approximately 2.3 billion years ago. Therefore, organisms that could use oxygen for cellular respiration had an advantage. More than 1.5 years ago, eukaryotic cells and...
35.7K
Convergent Evolution01:54

Convergent Evolution

29.0K
Evolution shapes the features of organisms over time, ensuring that they are suited for the environments in which they live. Sometimes, selection pressure leads to the rise of similar but unrelated adaptations in organisms with no recent common ancestors, a process known as convergent evolution.
29.0K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

A Novel Polyphosphate-Degrading Enzyme Confers Growth on Exogenous Polyphosphate in the Archaeon Haloferax volcanii.

Environmental microbiology·2026
Same author

Implications of regional variations in climate change vulnerability and mitigation behaviour for social-climate dynamics.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Earth system instability explains redox paradox during late Cambrian SPICE event.

Science advances·2026
Same author

Carbon/phosphorus burial ratio reveals a rapid spread of land plants during the Late Ordovician.

Nature ecology & evolution·2026
Same author

A method to identify positive tipping points to accelerate low-carbon transitions and actions to trigger them.

Sustainability science·2026
Same author

Evidence of a cascading positive tipping point towards electric vehicles.

Nature communications·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 12, 2025

Using Generative Art to Convey Past and Future Climate Transitions
06:10

Using Generative Art to Convey Past and Future Climate Transitions

Published on: March 31, 2023

1.1K

The evolution of Gaia(s).

Timothy M Lenton1

  • 1Global Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QE, UK.

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences
|August 7, 2025
PubMed
Summary

The Earth

Area of Science:

  • Earth system science
  • Evolutionary biology
  • Planetary science

Background:

  • The Earth's biosphere, or 'Gaia', exhibits remarkable self-stabilizing properties.
  • Key questions remain regarding the mechanisms behind its persistence and flourishing.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore physical and biological explanations for Gaia's emergent properties.
  • To investigate whether natural selection operates at the biosphere level.

Main Methods:

  • Theoretical modeling of complex systems with variation and memory.
  • Interpreting system trajectories towards increased size, diversity, and stability.
  • Analyzing ecosystem and nutrient cycle persistence and spread.

Main Results:

Keywords:
Gaiabiosphereentropyevolutionselectionsystems

More Related Videos

Geomagnetic Field Gmf and Plant Evolution: Investigating the Effects of Gmf Reversal on Arabidopsis thaliana Development and Gene Expression
11:04

Geomagnetic Field Gmf and Plant Evolution: Investigating the Effects of Gmf Reversal on Arabidopsis thaliana Development and Gene Expression

Published on: November 30, 2015

13.5K
Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications
07:37

Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications

Published on: January 19, 2018

18.9K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Sep 12, 2025

Using Generative Art to Convey Past and Future Climate Transitions
06:10

Using Generative Art to Convey Past and Future Climate Transitions

Published on: March 31, 2023

1.1K
Geomagnetic Field Gmf and Plant Evolution: Investigating the Effects of Gmf Reversal on Arabidopsis thaliana Development and Gene Expression
11:04

Geomagnetic Field Gmf and Plant Evolution: Investigating the Effects of Gmf Reversal on Arabidopsis thaliana Development and Gene Expression

Published on: November 30, 2015

13.5K
Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications
07:37

Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications

Published on: January 19, 2018

18.9K
  • Complex systems naturally evolve towards greater stability and diversity.
  • Biosphere-level evolution can be viewed through ecosystem selection.
  • Physical and biological explanations for Gaia are converging.

Conclusions:

  • A unified theory explains Gaia's evolution through physical principles and ecosystem selection.
  • The theory yields testable predictions for Earth's biosphere and potential exobiospheres.