Lynn Margulis
'Dr. Lynn Margulis' (born March 15,
1938) is a
biologist and
University Professor in the
Department of Geosciences at the
University of Massachusetts Amherst.
[1] She is best known for her theory on the origin of
eukaryotic organelles, and her contributions to the
endosymbiotic theory—which is now generally accepted for how certain
organelles were formed.
Research
Endosymbiotic theory
Lynn Margulis attended the
University of Chicago as an undergrad and received her
Ph.D. in
1963 from
UC Berkeley. In 1966, as a young faculty member at
Boston University, she wrote a theoretical paper entitled ''The Origin of Mitosing Eukaryotic Cells.''
[2] The paper however was "rejected by about fifteen scientific journals," Margulis recalled.
[3] It was finally accepted by ''The Journal of Theoretical Biology'' and is considered today a landmark in modern
endosymbiotic theory. Although it draws heavily on symbiosis ideas first put forward in the mid-19th century scientists as well as the early 20th century work of
Merezhkovsky (1905) and
Wallin (1920), Margulis's endosymbiotic theory formulation is the first to rely on direct
microbiological observations (as opposed to
paleontological or
zoological observations which were previously the norm for new works in
evolutionary biology). The paper was initially heavily rejected, as symbiosis theories had been dismissed by mainstream biology at the time. Weathering constant criticism of her ideas for decades, Margulis is famous for her tenacity in pushing her theory forward, despite the opposition she faced at the time.
The underlying theme of endosymbiotic theory, as formulated in 1966, was interdependence and cooperative existence of multiple
prokaryotic organisms; one organism engulfed another, yet both survived and eventually evolved over millions of years into
eukaryotic cells. Her 1970 book, ''Origin of Eukaryotic Cells'', discusses her early work pertaining to this
organelle genesis theory in detail. Currently, her endosymbiotic theory is recognized as the key method by which some organelles have arisen (see
endosymbiotic theory for a discussion) and is widely accepted by mainstream scientists. The endosymbiotic theory of organogenesis gained strong support in the 1980s, when the genetic material of
mitochondria and
chloroplasts was found to be different from that of the symbiont's
nuclear DNA.
[4]
In 1995, prominent Neo-Darwinist evolutionary biologist
Richard Dawkins had this to say about Lynn Margulis and her work:
Theory of the symbiotic relationships between organisms like driving force of evolution
She later formulated a theory to explain how symbiotic relationships between organisms of often different phyla or kingdoms are the driving force of
evolution.
Genetic variation is proposed to occur mainly as a result of transfer of nuclear information between
bacterial cells or
viruses and
eukaryotic cells. While her organelle genesis ideas are widely accepted, symbiotic relationships as a current method of introducing genetic variation is somewhat of a fringe idea. However, examination of the results from the
Human Genome Project lends credence toward an endosymbiotic theory of evolution—or at the very least Margulis's endosymbiotic theory is the catalyst for current ideas about the composition of the human genome. Significant portions of the human genome are either bacterial or viral in origin—some clearly ancient insertions, while others are more recent in origin. This strongly supports the idea of symbiotic—and more likely
parasitic—relationships being a driving force for genetic change in humans, and likely all organisms. It should be noted that while the endosymbiotic theory has historically been juxtaposed with
Neo-Darwinism, the two theories are not incompatible and the truth is likelier to be that natural selection works on many levels (genetic up to the ecosystem) and variation is introduced both at the genetic and the cellular level.
She does, however, hold a negative view of Neo-Darwinism, as she believes that history will ultimately judge the theory as ''"a minor twentieth-century religious sect within the sprawling religious persuasion of Anglo-Saxon Biology."''
[5]
She also believes that proponents of the standard theory ''"wallow in their zoological, capitalistic, competitive, cost-benefit interpretation of Darwin - having mistaken him... Neo-Darwinism, which insists on (the slow accrual of mutations), is a complete funk."''
[6]
Her present day efforts, in the form of books and lectures, strongly stress a symbiotic—and cooperative—relationship between all organisms and a strong leaning toward
Gaia theory. Her advocacy outside the realm of biology and toward more
sociopolitical ends has been criticized by more mainstream scientists—somewhat similar to criticisms aimed toward
Carl Sagan's latter day ideas.
Other
★ Margulis was elected to the
National Academy of Sciences in
1983 and served as Chairman of the Academy’s Space Science Board Committee on Planetary Biology and Chemical Evolution.
★ She was inducted into the World Academy of Art and Science, the
Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, and the
American Academy of Arts and Sciences between 1995 and 1998.
★ In
1998 the
Library of Congress,
Washington, DC, announced that it would permanently archive Dr. Margulis' papers.
★ In
1999 she received the
Proctor Prize for scientific achievement.
★ In 1999, she was awarded the
National Medal of Science by
President William J. Clinton.
★ She is also a proponent and co-developer of the modern version of
Gaia hypothesis, based on an idea developed by the English atmospheric scientist
James Lovelock.
★ She is profiled in a book published in 2006 by Resurgence Magazine in the UK, called ''Visionaries: The 20th Century's 100 Most Important Inspirational Leaders''.
★ In
2006 with her son Dorion, she founded Sciencewriters Books, an imprint of Chelsea Green Publishing for science books.
Personal
She was the first wife of
astronomer Carl Sagan and is the mother of
Dorion Sagan, popular science writer and co-author;
Jeremy Sagan, software developer and founder of
Sagan Technology; Zachary Margulis-Ohnuma, New York City Criminal Defense lawyer; and Jennifer Margulis, teacher and author.
See also
★
Symbiogenesis
Publications and bibliography
★ Margulis, Lynn and Dorion Sagan, 2007, ''Dazzle Gradually: Reflections on the Nature of Nature'', Sciencewriters Books, ISBN 978-1-933392-31-8
★ Margulis, Lynn and
Eduardo Punset, eds., 2007 ''Mind, Life and Universe: Conversations with Great Scientists of Our Time'', Sciencewriters Books, ISBN 978-1-933392-61-5
★ Margulis, Lynn, 2007, ''Luminous Fish: Tales of Science and Love'', Sciencewriters Books, ISBN 978-1-933392-33-2
★ Margulis, Lynn and Dorion Sagan, 2002, ''Acquiring Genomes: A Theory of the Origins of Species'', Perseus Books Group, ISBN 0-465-04391-7
★ Margulis, Lynn, et al., 2002, ''The Ice Chronicles: The Quest to Understand Global Climate Change'', University of New Hampshire, ISBN 1-58465-062-1
★ Margulis, Lynn, 1998, ''Symbiotic Planet : A New Look at Evolution'', Basic Books, ISBN 0-465-07271-2
★ Margulis, Lynn and Karlene V. Schwartz, 1997, ''Five Kingdoms: An Illustrated Guide to the Phyla of Life on Earth'', W.H. Freeman & Company, ISBN 0-613-92338-3
★ Margulis, Lynn and Dorian Sagan, 1997, ''What Is Sex?'', Simon and Shuster, ISBN 0-684-82691-7
★ Margulis, Lynn and Dorion Sagan, 1997, ''Slanted Truths: Essays on Gaia, Symbiosis, and Evolution'', Copernicus Books, ISBN 0-387-94927-5
★ Margulis, Lynn, 1992, ''Symbiosis in Cell Evolution: Microbial Communities in the Archean and Proterozoic Eons'', W.H. Freeman, ISBN 0-7167-7028-8
★ Margulis, Lynn, ed, 1991, ''Symbiosis as a Source of Evolutionary Innovation: Speciation and Morphogenesis'', The MIT Press, ISBN 0-262-13269-9
★ Margulis, Lynn and Dorion Sagan, 1991, ''Mystery Dance: On the Evolution of Human Sexuality'', Summit Books, ISBN 0-671-63341-4
★ Margulis, Lynn and Dorion Sagan, 1987, ''Microcosmos: Four Billion Years of Evolution from Our Microbial Ancestors'', HarperCollins, ISBN 0-04-570015-X
★ Margulis, Lynn and Dorion Sagan, 1986, ''Origins of Sex : Three Billion Years of Genetic Recombination'', Yale University Press, ISBN 0-300-03340-0
★ Margulis, Lynn, 1982, ''Early Life'', Science Books International, ISBN 0-86720-005-7
★ Margulis, Lynn, 1970, ''Origin of Eukaryotic Cells'', Yale University Press, ISBN 0-300-01353-1
References
1. Lynn Margulis biography at U. Mass. (Accessed July 15, 2006)
2. Lynn Sagan (1967). On the origin of mitosing cells. ''J. Theoretical Biology'' '14'(3), 255-274. PMID 11541392
3. John Brockman, ''The Third Culture'', New York: Touchstone, 1995, 135.
4. Acceptance Doesn't Come Easy (Accessed July 15, 2006)
5. Mann, C. (1991) "Lynn Margulis: Science's Unruly Earth Mother," Science, 252
6. Mann, C. (1991) "Lynn Margulis: Science's Unruly Earth Mother," Science, 378-381
External links
★
UMass Bio Dept. (includes a partial list of technical publications) (Accessed
March 3,
2005)
★
UMass Geo Dept. (Accessed
March 3,
2005)
★
www.immaculata.edu (Accessed
March 3,
2005)
★
San Jose Science, Technology and Society, 2004-2005 Linus Pauling Memorial Lectures (Accessed
March 3,
2005)
★
The Endosymbiotic Theory (Accessed
March 3,
2005)
★
Gaia Is a Tough Bitch
★
Interview with Lynn Margulis on Gaia 5 minute MP3 from October 2005
العربية
中国
Français
Deutsch
Ελληνική
हिन्दी
Italiano
日本語
Português
Русский
Español
