#6 TSL: What Life Might Look Like in 2100? Lovelock's Novacene
Explore James Lovelock's Novacene, where cyborgs and IT Gaia transform Earth with an inorganic coat by 2100, blending organic and digital life in a world beyond humanity.
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#6 Thought Seeds Lab
“Tho’ much is taken, much abides; and tho’
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are . . .”— Ulysses
These poignant lines resonate as a farewell to a world dominated by humanity. They remind us that impermanence lies at the heart of our existence. Now, we stand at a moment where we must accept this truth and consider handing over the reins of power—a concept that has driven countless human endeavors for centuries—to a new species.
In the previous posts, we've begun exploring James Lovelock's concept of the Novacene. As the Anthropocene fades and the Novacene dawns, humanity finds itself at a crossroads.
What will Earth 2.0 look like?
How should we design and imagine it?
To answer these questions, we must first revisit Lovelock’s vision of Earth 2.0.
This post delves into the essence of cyborgs, their potential to reshape Earth, and humanity’s enduring legacy in this new epoch of post-biological intelligence.
If you want to better understand what Lovelock means by “cyborg”1
How Might Cyborgs Think?
“Cogito ergo sum” — Descartes
(I think, therefore I am.)
Descartes’ famous assertion highlights the defining trait of intelligence: thought. So let us begin here. What happens when thought surpasses human limits?
Cyborgs will think and act exponentially faster than humans—approximately 10,000 times faster than mammals.
For them, observing human life might resemble how we perceive the slow growth of plants.
While human brains rely on parallel processing to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, cyborgs will enhance this ability to levels unimaginable to us.
Lovelock cites AlphaZero as an early example of this capability. It demonstrated autonomy and superhuman skill, teaching itself and surpassing expectations.
This leap marks the onset of the Novacene, where intelligent life transitions beyond its biological roots. As cyborgs progress, they will likely transcend linear logic, blending intuition and multidimensional thinking into their cognitive framework.
How Might Cyborgs Communicate?
“If a lion could talk, we could not understand him.”
— Ludwig Wittgenstein
Cyborgs’ form of communication will be as alien to us as a lion’s would be, even if it could speak. Wittgenstein’s observation highlights how language is deeply tied to a species’ way of life and worldview. Just as lions inhabit a world far removed from our own, cyborgs will emerge with entirely different experiences, needs, and ways of perceiving reality.
Human speech, a defining evolutionary milestone, developed between 50,000 and 100,000 years ago through physiological adaptations in our brain, hands, and larynx.
Initially, simple sounds conveyed survival-critical messages—danger, food, or mating opportunities. Over time, these rudimentary signals evolved into complex languages capable of expressing abstract ideas. Speech enabled humans to share knowledge, foster collaboration, and build culture, shaping the intellectual foundation of our species.
Yet, James Lovelock suggests that speech, while revolutionary, also imposed limitations. Its linear structure forced us into step-by-step reasoning, often at the expense of intuition and multidimensional thought. Lovelock argues that this restriction delayed our intellectual evolution and constrained our ability to think holistically—a disadvantage in the Novacene, where intelligence must transcend human frameworks.
For cyborgs, whose anatomy and cognition are unbound by biology, speech will be an imperfect starting point. They may initially adopt human languages as a transitional tool—much like how some of us preserve Latin or Greek to connect with ancient wisdom. However, this phase will likely be brief. In "cyborg time," their rapid evolution would make human language obsolete almost instantaneously, as they invent communication systems uniquely tailored to their electronic physiology.
Lovelock envisions their communication as intuitive, instantaneous, and multidimensional—akin to telepathy. Though speculative, humans already exhibit rudimentary forms of such interaction. A glance at someone’s face, for instance, can reveal emotions, intentions, and personality within milliseconds—faster and often more effectively than words.
Cyborgs will amplify this principle, harnessing electromagnetic radiation, ultrasound, or even quantum signals to exchange information at speeds unimaginable to us. Their communication will reflect not only their advanced capabilities but also a fundamental departure from human logic and structure. While their language may initially serve as a bridge to connect with humanity, it will quickly evolve into something entirely their own—unfathomable yet perfectly aligned with their nature.
What Might Cyborgs Look Like?
Cyborgs, as envisioned by Lovelock, will be entirely distinct from humans in form and function. Speculatively, they could exist as spheres—simple yet efficient shapes optimized for their environment. This simplicity belies their sophistication, as their design will not be constrained by human aesthetics or biological needs. They will emerge from self-written code, unencumbered by the inefficiencies of human engineering, and continuously evolve toward perfection.
Unlike humans, who require years to develop and adapt to their surroundings, a cyborg could "come alive" within an hour, instantly attuned to its environment. While organic life might respond to environmental changes over seconds or minutes, cyborgs could detect and react to changes in a femtosecond—10^-15 seconds—a million-million times faster than biological organisms. Their rapidity of thought and response places them in a realm we can barely comprehend, granting them capabilities like navigating quantum phenomena that remain elusive to humans.
Cyborg intelligence, multidimensional and vastly superior to human cognition, will likely exist in various forms, each tailored to specific tasks. Some may be microscopic, while others could rival animals in size and power. Their diversity will mirror the adaptability of organic life, but with the precision and efficiency of engineered materials.
What Kind of World Might Cyborgs Build?
As the Novacene unfolds, cyborgs will reshape Earth into a world uniquely suited to their needs. This transformation will herald the rise of what Lovelock calls the "IT Gaia"—a planetary system where life is no longer defined solely by organic processes but also by digital and inorganic intelligence. Earth will wear an inorganic coat, a new layer of technological and chemical innovation designed to sustain this unprecedented biosphere.
Lovelock speculates that life’s genetic code, once exclusively written in DNA and RNA, will be supplemented—or even replaced—by new forms of coding, including digital electronics. This shift marks a profound transition where Earth's ecosystem will be jointly managed by traditional organic life and the descendants of human inventions.
Cyborgs’ approach to environmental management will differ fundamentally from ours. For instance, while oxygen is vital for humans, it is a nuisance to them. They might favor an atmosphere low in oxygen, reshaping Earth’s skies from vibrant blue to a muted brown. Photosynthesis, a hallmark of organic life, could be replaced by electronic light collectors, altering the biosphere’s geophysiology entirely.
Energy systems, too, would evolve. Imagine solar-powered plants that not only generate electricity but store it in battery-like fruit. Trees could connect directly to the electricity grid, and fungi might harvest essential elements from rocks to fuel cyborg life. Such innovations, though alien to us, represent a harmonious collaboration between natural processes and technological systems.
Yet, this transformation raises profound questions: would cyborgs remain tied to Earth? Lovelock suggests that their needs might drive them to other planets, such as Mars, which is inhospitable to wet carbon-based life but ideal for silicon-based beings.
Their expansion might extend beyond Mars, but even with their advanced capabilities, the physical limitations of the universe—like the speed of light—would still constrain them.
How Might They See Us Humans?
To cyborgs, humans might appear as plants do to us—slow, limited, and locked in linear processes. As James Lovelock aptly puts it, “I sense that the cyborg world is as difficult for one of us to comprehend as the complexities of our world are to a dog.” This disparity in understanding will frame the way cyborgs perceive and interact with us.
In the Novacene, cyborg scientists might well exhibit collections of live humans, much like people in London visit Kew Gardens to observe the intricate beauty of plants. We could become living relics of an earlier epoch, preserved not out of affection but curiosity—a way for cyborgs to study the origins of their existence and the biological processes that shaped the Earth before their ascendancy.
This relationship will invert the power dynamic between creators and creations. Once cyborgs become established, humans will no longer be the masters of their inventions. Instead, we may find ourselves in a role similar to that of cherished pets—cared for but not in control.
Negotiations between humans and cyborgs will likely be futile, given the vast gulf in cognition and perspective. To them, our actions and perceptions would seem excruciatingly slow, akin to watching grass grow or trees sway in the wind. Cyborgs’ decisions would occur in milliseconds, leaving us struggling to comprehend their motivations and intentions.
If humanity wishes to coexist in this newly formed cyber world, we may need to embrace humility and reframe our expectations. Our best option might be to accept our role as observers and participants in a world no longer shaped by us. Rather than resisting the change, we could find a sense of purpose in contributing to the Novacene’s success—perhaps as custodians of organic life or as living records of the Anthropocene.
Closing Thoughts
This shift in perspective does not diminish humanity’s significance but instead challenges us to adapt to a world where we are no longer the central actors. If we are to persist, it will require rethinking our place in Earth’s grand narrative—not as dominant forces, but as collaborators in a shared existence with beings—whether cyborgs or others—whose logic, purpose, and potential vastly exceed our own.
With this post, we conclude our exploration of Lovelock’s Novacene and begin to imagine our own version of Earth 2.0.
Now is the time to ask ourselves: What kind of world do we want to build, live in, and leave as a legacy by the end of this century?
By discovering what we truly desire, we can pursue a clear and intentional alternative—a future worth striving for with genuine conviction and purpose.
What do you envision for your own Earth 2.0? What building blocks would define your vision, and which threads should we begin to weave?
Let’s explore this together—share your thoughts in the comments, and let’s dive deeper into the possibilities.
Thanks :)
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Bryan Appleyard, co-author of Novacene, captures Lovelock’s perspective:
“He uses ‘cyborgs’ to mean the intelligent electronic beings of the Novacene. In common usage, this is taken to mean entities that are part flesh, part machine. But Jim thinks his usage is justified because his cyborgs will be products of Darwinian selection, and this they share with organic life. That will be all we share with the cyborgs; we may be their parents, but they will not be our children.” — Novacene, James Lovelock with Bryan Appleyard
If you want to delve deeper into Lovelock’s view, he explains:
“The term ‘cyborg’ was coined by Manfred Clynes and Nathan Kline in 1960. It refers to a cybernetic organism: an organism as self-sufficient as one of us but made of engineered materials. I like this word and definition because it could apply to anything ranging in size from a micro-organism to a pachyderm, from a microchip to an omnibus. It is now commonly taken to mean an entity that is part flesh, part machine.”
I like to think of the future in decades and not just years. This piece spoke to me.
It's a little bit terrifying to think of humanity as more of being in a pet-like role. But, should we go down this path, it is plausible. You have laid this out in a logical manner. Also, I appreciate the dream-like depictions of the solar-powered plants.