Novacene
The Coming Age of Hyperintelligence
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Novacene
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Narrated by:
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Roy McMillan
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By:
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James Lovelock
About this listen
Penguin presents the audiobook edition of Novacene, by James Lovelock, read by Roy McMillan.
James Lovelock, creator of the Gaia hypothesis and the greatest environmental thinker of our time, has produced an astounding new theory about future of life on Earth. He argues that the anthropocene - the age in which humans acquired planetary-scale technologies - is, after 300 years, coming to an end. A new age - the novacene - has already begun.
New beings will emerge from existing artificial intelligence systems. They will think 10,000 times faster than we do, and they will regard us as we now regard plants - as desperately slow acting and thinking creatures. But this will not be the cruel, violent machine takeover of the planet imagined by sci-fi writers and film-makers. These hyper-intelligent beings will be as dependent on the health of the planet as we are. They will need the planetary cooling system of Gaia to defend them from the increasing heat of the sun as much as we do. And Gaia depends on organic life. We will be partners in this project.
It is crucial, Lovelock argues, that the intelligence of Earth survives and prospers. He does not think there are intelligent aliens, so we are the only beings capable of understanding the cosmos. Maybe, he speculates, the novacene could even be the beginning of a process that will finally lead to intelligence suffusing the entire cosmos. At the age of 100, James Lovelock has produced the most important and compelling work of his life.
©2019 James Lovelock (P)2019 Penguin AudioListeners also enjoyed...
What listeners say about Novacene
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 29-10-20
A wondrous whirlwind tour through Lovelock's mind
James Lovelock writes beautifully and in a way that is accessible to everyone. He tells a story as if it were science fiction, but then backs it up with scientific truths. I wish I'd had the chance to work with him.
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- Gus
- 26-05-24
Thoughtful and inspiring
Interesting perspective on the long term prospects of humanity and life in the cosmos. That the author was 99 when he wrote this is inspirational and life affirming.
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- Anonymous User
- 07-08-22
Inspiring and beautiful!
The final words of one of the most extraordinary thinkers of our age. At 99 he is (and now sadly was) one of the sharpest thinkers I have ever encountered. Also a remarkably moving and compassionate book. The story about meeting baby Stephen Hawking..! A perfect narration too.
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- Anonymous User
- 01-09-22
Beautiful
This book feels like an ode to life, both before and after, written by an aged and wise genius collating his thoughts gathered over a long lifetime.
I thoroughly enjoyed exploring with him, highly recommend listening with an open mind.
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- John
- 17-10-21
Excellent, thought provoking.
Thankfully, this oration was delivered by a person who can convey the gravitas of James Lovelock's thinking. I've listened numerous times and will continue to do so.
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- DANAE LE JEANNIC
- 28-11-22
Highly recommend
I highly recommend this book. Loved it ! Lots of fact and futuristic thinking. I now want to read more from Lovelock
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- peteropcon
- 02-08-19
Mind Provoking
What an incredible proposition from an amazing human being. James Lovelock continues to contribute to civilisation as he has done throughout his life
A giant among men. What will he write next?
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- Amazon Customer
- 19-09-22
Thought provoking
James Lovelock was a brilliant man with different ways of interpreting the world around him. I am a supporter of the Gaia hypothesis. This last book takes Lovelock's ideas into the future with some radical suggestions. You don't need to agree with everything, as I don't, but his writing provokes thoughts about the future of humanity, technology, our environment and Gaia herself. I love the idea that is was Gaia that brought about the technological ability to defend herself from approaching meteors using nuclear weapons, rather than them being merely a destructive invention of humans. Definitely worth a read or listen.
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- Lord Remington
- 06-07-19
A logical conclusion to our chapter
The first 16 chapters set the stage for what was an interesting and insightful look into the potential/most plausible future of the universe's most influential organism.
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- MJ
- 27-01-23
Jim Lovelock
amazing, nursing else to say really. get stuck in and suck in the mind of same extraordinary thinker.
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