The essence of life

Area of Science:

• Biology
• Biochemistry
• Evolutionary Biology

Background:

• The fundamental question "what is life?" remains challenging despite biological advancements.
• Current definitions conflate distinct aspects of life, hindering clear understanding.

Discussion:

• Life encompasses two core, separable aspects: Darwinian evolution and self-sustaining processes.
• Proposes distinct terms like "life form" (genetic information) and "living entity" (self-sustaining).
• Identifies three crucial mechanisms for life's implementation: polymer replication, sequence-dependent folding, and vesicle formation.

Key Insights:

• Information, particularly genetic information, is central to defining a "life form" and understanding Darwinian evolution.
• Evolution is fundamentally the transmission and alteration of genetic information across generations.
• Distinguishing life's aspects enhances comprehension of biological phenomena.

Outlook:

• This conceptual framework can advance the study of the origin of life.
• Implications for artificial life research and the search for extraterrestrial life (astrobiology).
• Deeper analysis of life's essence promises to refine our understanding across all biology.