"Among modern scientists, James Lovelock first developed the 'Gaia Theory,' named after the earth goddess of Greek mythology, to help explain how the earth’s biosphere and atmosphere function as a tightly integrated, self-regulating, evolving system or organism. Lovelock explained, 'I am not thinking of the Earth as alive in a sentient way, or even alive like an animal or a bacterium.' Rather, the earth’s biosphere functions or 'behaves' as a living system to maintain temperature and atmospheric conditions in an equilibrium conducive to life through a complex set of interactions or 'feedback loops.'"