The great chemical reaction: life and death of Gaia

Syndicated from Energy Bulletin on Mon, 2012-05-21

<p><b>CaSoO<sub>3</sub> + CO<sub>2</sub> -&gt; CaCO<sub>3</sub> + SiO<sub>2</sub></b></p>
<p>The silicate weathering reaction is what keeps "Gaia" alive - better said, it is Gaia. And don't make the mistake of thinking that Gaia is a goddess and that, somehow, she cares about us. No, it is more correct to say that Gaia doesn't give a damn about us - which is what you'd expect from a chemical reaction, after all. It is us who have been tampering with this chemical reaction and it will be us who will have to face the consequences.</p>
<p>In the end, we can't hope to force the planet to do what we want it to do. So, we must learn to live with the flow of the Earth's cycles. For that, we must know a little chemistry. But more than chemistry, we must learn our limits, otherwise we won't survive for long.</p>
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