Gaia is a fictional planet described in the book Foundation's Edge, by Isaac Asimov. The name is derived from the Gaia hypothesis, which is itself eponymous to Gaia, the Earth Goddess. The exploration of other worlds is one of the most enduring themes of science fiction. ... Foundations Edge Foundations Edge is a novel by Isaac Asimov, the fourth book in the Foundation Series. ... Isaac Asimov (courtesy of Jay Kay Klein) Dr. Isaac Asimov (c. ... A Gaia theory is a class of scientific models of the biosphere in which life fosters and maintains suitable conditions for itself by affecting Earths environment. ... Gaia, the Earth-goddess; classical Greek cup signed by Aristophanes and made between 410 B.C. and 400 B.C. Gaia (land or earth, from the Greek ; variant spelling Gaea—see also also Ge from ) is a Greek goddess personifying the Earth. ...

Gaia is located in the Sayshell Sector, about 10 parsecs (32 light years) from Sayshell. It orbits a G-4 class star, and has one natural satellite (50 km or 31 miles in diameter). Spoiler warning: Sayshell is a planet in Foundations Edge by Isaac Asimov. ...

It was founded by R. Daneel Olivaw, in an effort to resolve some of the problems that plagued him due to the Zeroth Law of Robotics. (Gaia also follows a similar law: 'Gaia may not harm life, or, by inaction, allow life to come to harm.') By 498 F.E., Gaia had a population of 1,000,000,000; this is a high population for a planet at that time. The inhabitants hoped eventually to create a complex ecology; all human-settled planets in the Galaxy — except Earth — had simple ecologies. The inhabitants of Gaia were all tied together into a telepathic group consciousness when it was founded; this consciousness was eventually extended to the non-human life, and later to the inorganic material of the planet. This would explain The Mule's incredible psychic powers, as Gaia was said to be his home planet. R. Daneel Olivaw is a fictional robot created by Isaac Asimov. ... The Zeroth Law of Robotics was first formally laid out in Isaac Asimovs Robots and Empire (ISBN 0586062009) as an extension of his Three Laws of Robotics. ... The Mule is a fictional character from Isaac Asimovs Foundation Series. ...

Gaians have long names, which are even longer depending on their status. They are generally addressed by only one syllable, or sometimes a few. Known Gaians: Blissenobiarella (Bliss), Endomandiovizamarondeyaso... (Dom, 253 syllables in full), Suranoviremblastiran (Su to herself, Vi to her mother). Blissenobiarella, known informally as Bliss, is a character in Isaac Asimovs Foundation series. ...

The ultimate goal of Gaia was to convert the entire Galaxy into a similar superorganism, called Galaxia. Hari Seldon's Psychohistory Project was a 'backup' initiated by Olivaw in the event that Gaia-Galaxia failed. According to Isaac Asimovs Foundation and Earth, Galaxia is (or will be) a living organism which contains all the lifeforms and rocks and other materials in the galaxy. ... Hari Seldon is the intellectual hero of Isaac Asimovs Foundation Series. ... Psychohistory is the name of a fictional science in Isaac Asimovs Foundation universe, which combined history, psychology and mathematical statistics to create a (nearly) exact science of the behavior of very large populations of people, such as the Galactic Empire. ...

In 498 F.E., Golan Trevize and Janov Pelorat, the protagonists of Foundation's Edge, are maneuvered to Gaia so Trevize can decide whether the future of the Galaxy is to be guided by the physical (First Foundation), mental (Second Foundation), or organic (Gaia). Trevize chooses Gaia. Golan Trevize is a fictional character, a major figure in two books in Isaac Asimovs Foundation Series: Foundations Edge and Foundation and Earth. ... Janov Pelorat is a character in the Foundation Series of books by Isaac Asimov. ... Foundations Edge Foundations Edge is a novel by Isaac Asimov, the fourth book in the Foundation Series. ...

Gaia's Powers

Because of the size of the consciousness involved, Gaia's mental powers are significantly greater than those of any other mentalics encountered before in previous books. Where Second Foundationers generally required eye contact to alter emotions, Gaia could detect and alter minds anywhere in the Galaxy. This way, it could guarantee the perfect execution of the Seldon plan, even more perfect than what the Second Foundation could manage. It is apparent, though, that Gaia cannot use its powers far enough to influence other Galaxies; presumably, Galaxia will have this power. According to Isaac Asimovs Foundation and Earth, Galaxia is (or will be) a living organism which contains all the lifeforms and rocks and other materials in the galaxy. ...

Gaia is able to channel the kinetic energy of its matter, a phenomenon Asimov calls transduction. Transduction allowed Gaia to provide limited electrical power, move objects as large as starships, or take over the computer control system of a space vessel. It may also be capable of obliterating large sections of matter, though this ability is never discussed by Gaia; the Solarians (much more powerful transducers) were capable of destroying objects at least as large as space vessels. The word transduction has several meanings: In developmental psychology, transduction is reasoning from specific cases to specific cases, typically employed by children. ... Solaria was a fictional human-inhabited planet in Isaac Asimovs Foundation and Robot series. ...

Gaia's ability to store data does away with information technology. Gaia has no written records; every amount of information is stored in the collective consciousness. Naturally, a good deal of this is stored in humans and other large-brained animals, but some is stored in inanimate objects such as water, geological features, or trees. Historical records are based on the memories of individuals stored forever in the collective consciousness. Any part of Gaia can access these memories directly, as if they were just another part of their own mind. Because Galaxia will also include stars, Black Holes, uninhabited planets, and cosmic debris, the powers of data storage will be enhanced significantly. Category: Information technology ... According to Isaac Asimovs Foundation and Earth, Galaxia is (or will be) a living organism which contains all the lifeforms and rocks and other materials in the galaxy. ... This article is about the astronomical body. ...

Presumably, Gaia is also capable of acting as a giant computing device, with each mind working to solve a problem. Thus, Gaia may not need the use of computers. It may also be able to store the Prime Radiant in its collective consciousness. In Isaac Asimovs Foundation series, the Prime Radiant is a device in which the psychohistorical equations are stored. ...

Because of the nature of Gaia, natural disasters can be regulated. The collective consciousness can be alerted to an impending volcanic eruption because of the consciousness of the inanimate matter involved, and take the necessary precautions. Likewise, weather can also be carefully controlled. A natural disaster is a natural event with catastrophic consequences for living things in the vicinity. ...

Despite the enormous powers of Gaia, they are a relatively local phenomenon at the time of Foundation's Edge. This is because mentalic effects occur at the speed of light. To have them happen more quickly, Gaia must act through hyperspace, which takes a good deal more energy. However, in Galaxia these problems will be somewhat reduced, because all matter in the Galaxy will be part of Galaxia. Foundations Edge Foundations Edge is a novel by Isaac Asimov, the fourth book in the Foundation Series. ... In physics, hyperspace is a theoretical entity. ... According to Isaac Asimovs Foundation and Earth, Galaxia is (or will be) a living organism which contains all the lifeforms and rocks and other materials in the galaxy. ...

Statistics

• Star
  • Spectral Class: G-4
• Planet
  • Axial Inclination: 12º
  • Rotation: .92 Galactic Standard Days
  • Satellite: 1, 50 km (31 mile) diametre