The Biosphere Notes

Vernadsky, Vladimir I. The Biosphere: Complete Annotated Edition. New York: Copernicus, 1998.

Part 1: The Biosphere in the Cosmos

• “The outer layer of the Earth must, therefore, not be considered as a region of matter alone, but also as a region of energy and a source of transformation of the planet. To a great extent, exogenous cosmic forces shape the face of the Earth, and as a result, the biosphere differs historically from other parts of the planet. The biosphere plays an extraordinary planetary role” (44).
• “The biosphere is as much a creation of the sun as a result of terrestrial origin” (44).
• “Creatures on Earth are the fruit of extended, complex processes, and are an essential part of a harmonious cosmic mechanism, in which it is known that fixed laws apply and chance does not exist” (44). *