Gaia is a concept that refers to the Earth as a living organism, where all living and non-living components are interconnected and work together to maintain a balance. It is a holistic approach to understanding the planet as a self-regulating system that sustains life. The Gaia hypothesis was proposed by scientist James Lovelock in the 1970s, suggesting that the Earth functions as a single, self-regulating system. This idea has sparked much debate and discussion within the scientific community, with some viewing it as a valuable framework for understanding the complex interactions between the Earth's atmosphere, oceans, and ecosystems.