Could Earth be an intelligent entity? Astrobiologists recently outlined how our home planet Earth may not only be alive, but also have a mind of its own.
Scientists called this idea "planetary intelligence," describing the collective knowledge and cognitive abilities of any planet, outlining it in a paper published in the International Journal of Astrobiology.
In the paper, scientists claim to have enough evidence that suggests underground networks of fungi on Earth are constantly communicating, implying that an invisible intelligence currently exists on Earth.
Adam Frank, co-author of the paper from the University of Rochester in a press release claimed that "we don¡¯t yet have the ability to communally respond in the best interests of the planet." Frank was referring to human activities on Earth that are currently causing radical changes on the planet - be it in the form of climate change, pollution, or resource exploitation.
According to Frank, such enquiries into the Earth's invisible mind could help humans become responsible in terms of how we treat the planet and its abundant resources. In addition, he believes that this might help humans find aliens.
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"We¡¯re saying the only technological civilizations we may ever see ¡ª the ones we should expect to see ¡ª are the ones that didn¡¯t kill themselves, meaning they must have reached the stage of a true planetary intelligence," Frank said.
Its authors believe such studies could help humans unite the knowledge needed to survive climate change and the potential of life on planets where "life and intelligence evolve."
Also read:?Scientists See How Earth Will Eventually Die, After Dead Planet Smashes Into Dead Star
What do you think - does Earth have a mind of its own? Let us know in the comments below.?For more in the world of?technology?and?science, keep reading?Indiatimes.com.?
References
Frank, A. (2022). Intelligence as a planetary scale process | International Journal of Astrobiology. Cambridge Core.?