Principle of Haldane

The so-called Haldane Principle is the generalization of an observation included in the essay On Fair Size (1928) by the British geneticist John Haldane. The principle states that the size of living beings defines the complexity of their internal organs. For example, insects, being small, do not need organelles like veins, arteries, etc. to transport the oxygen, but this is absorbed by simple diffusion of the air through its internal and external membranes. Larger animals, on the other hand, require additional complications such as sophisticated pumping mechanisms through complex delivery systems for the oxidant to reach cells.

The application of the principle has been extended to the fields of physiology, evolutionary biology, paleontology and energy economics.

The name "Haldane's Principle" was coined by science breakthrough Jane Jacobs.

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