Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 24, 2026

Age-dependent Dynamics of Locomotion in Caenorhabditis elegans: A Lyapunov Exponent Analysis
Published on: September 23, 2025
A dynamic architecture of life.
Beatrix P Rubin1, Jeremy Brockes2, Brigitte Galliot3
1Collegium Helveticum, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, 8092, Switzerland.
Life is more dynamic than previously thought, with organisms continuously adapting to environmental changes. This ongoing adaptability, seen in both plants and animals, reshapes our understanding of biological processes.
Area of Science:
- * Integrative Biology
- * Developmental Biology
- * Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- * Recent biological research reveals life processes are highly dynamic and adaptable.
- * New discoveries challenge long-held concepts in plant and animal studies.
- * A paradigm shift is occurring, emphasizing the changeable nature of organisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To synthesize insights from a 2014 workshop on the dynamic architecture of life.
- * To explore how epigenetics, regeneration, and neuroplasticity contribute to life's dynamism.
- * To discuss the implications of these findings for biological thinking.
Main Methods:
- * Synthesis of expert presentations from a workshop.
- * Review of research across epigenetics, regeneration, neuroplasticity, and computational biology.
- * Analysis of findings from diverse animal and plant models.
Main Results:
- * Life's dynamic nature persists throughout an organism's existence.
- * Organisms exhibit continuous capacity for fine-tuning responses to environmental demands.
- * Adaptability is a fundamental aspect across all organizational levels.
Conclusions:
- * Established biological paradigms require reconsideration in light of life's inherent dynamism.
- * The continuous adaptability of organisms is crucial for survival and development.
- * A dynamic view of life offers a more comprehensive understanding of biological systems.
Related Concept Videos
Characteristics of Life
Origin of Cellular Life
Three-Domain System of Life
Functions of Life
Metabolism
The basic function of an organism is to consume energy and molecules in foods, convert some of it into fuel for movement, sustain body functions, and build and maintain body structures. There are two types of reactions that accomplish this: anabolism and catabolism.
Anabolism is the process whereby...
Requirements for Human Life
Oxygen
Atmospheric air is only about 20 percent oxygen, but that oxygen is a key component of the chemical reactions that keep the body alive, including the reactions that produce ATP. Brain cells are susceptible to a lack of oxygen because they require a...
Structural Organization of the Human Body: An Overview
To study the chemical level of organization, scientists consider the simplest building blocks of matter: subatomic particles, atoms, and molecules. All matter in the universe is composed of one or more unique pure substances called elements, familiar examples of...

