Thanks to the suggestion of a friend, James Lovelock called it the Gaia Hypotheses, after the Greek Goddess who symbolizes Earth. But we humans do have the power to observe, and thanks to the observations of a genius named James Lovelock there is a hypothesis that could unlock a whole systems approach to protecting the amazing life forms that have arisen on Earth. Our guesses come from models run on supercomputers, but among their weaknesses they are poor at modeling clouds, and water vapor is our most prevalent greenhouse gas. Right now, we are guessing that a more than a 2-degree centigrade rise in average global surface temperatures over preindustrial levels will literally start toasting civilization, and the climate disruption we already can see and feel comes from little more than a one-degree rise. But modern humans have never lived through a major shift in the climate, so we can only speculate what might happen if the Goldilocks range of temperatures we need to survive are ever knocked out of whack. We do understand which molecules reflect the sun’s heat and which ones can trap it. The big unanswered questions are why and exactly how. When it comes to Earth’s climate there are still huge gaps in our knowledge of how the Earth stays neither too hot nor too cold to support life. Some day we may be able to explain in more scientific terms what is now the mystery of love, as unromantic that might sound, much as after millennia of observing birds fly, humans finally figured out the physics of how the birds do it so we could make wings to carry ourselves. But science cannot explain precisely what love is or even the exact process that creates, shares and enjoys love. Consider, for example, that few of us would dispute the existence of love, though hopefully all of us have experienced it. And some of that good sense comes from the humility of knowing that there are so many amazing things that accepted science still doesn’t understand. Indeed, so many discoveries like radioactivity and antibiotics came when researchers were looking for something else in their laboratories and then, fortunately, had the good sense to pay attention when they got unexpected results. CURWOOD: It’s Living on Earth, I’m Steve CurwoodĬURWOOD: One of the most fascinating aspects of science is the way its knowledge base is always changing, and new discoveries can come almost, if not entirely, by accident. She never fails to make the reader feel as if they are right alongside her (knee deep in mud at times) exploring all the same locations. an engaging portrait not only of place but of a particular way of seeing one that sets out to investigate and celebrate much more than that which lies merely upon the surface' * Caught by the River * 'You can sense Ann’s unwavering dedication and interest … refusing to stop with the knowledge she already holds, and seeking out those with additional stories and information to add. … There’s a lot of erudition in The Fresh and the Salt but also a squeaking, sloshing immediacy to almost every page' - Isaac Land 'Mesmeric. This is deep and beautiful natural history writing' * BBC Countryfile Magazine * 'A natural history in the richest sense of the term. an excellent point of reference for locals, visitors and for those simply intrigued by this lesser-known corner of Scotland' * Scottish Field * 'Lingard's scientific knowledge of the area and its multitudinous inhabitants delivered in riveting prose. In so doing she has created a portrait of this nation-cleaving water that is as broad and deep as the estuary itself' - Mark Cocker, author and naturalist 'Lingard writes vividly about this estuary. Lingard expertly probes the margins for their hidden riches' - David Gange, author of The Frayed Atlantic Edge 'Like a hungry gull, Ann Lingard explores her beloved Solway shoreline for every living detail that catches her eye. 'a kaleidoscopic portrait of the borders of the land' * Cumbria Life * 'Beautiful, intensely visual prose, born from deep intimacy with subtle borderlands: land and sea, England and Scotland, people and environments.
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