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Life in The Context of Order and Complexity
1Institute of Physical Chemistry, CENIDE, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45141 Essen, Germany.
Life (Basel, Switzerland)
|January 23, 2020
Summary
Life requires both structural complexity and order, not just one alone. This dual characteristic is essential for the development of life and can serve as a universal biosignature for identifying life.
Area of Science:
- Astrobiology
- Origin of Life Studies
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Life is generally accepted to require structural complexity.
- However, complexity alone (e.g., chaotic organic mixtures) does not equate to life.
- Similarly, high order (e.g., mineral crystals) does not indicate life.
Purpose of the Study:
- To define the essential characteristics that differentiate living from non-living matter.
- To establish a framework for evaluating early stages of prebiotic chemistry.
- To propose a universal biosignature for identifying life.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis of complexity and order in relation to life.
- Theoretical framework development for life's fundamental parameters.
- Application of complexity-order principles to prebiotic chemistry and evolution.
Main Results:
- Neither complexity nor order alone is sufficient to define life.
- A simultaneous advancement of both complexity and order is necessary for life's emergence and development.
- The combination of high order and high complexity serves as a critical differentiator between living and dead matter.
Conclusions:
- The simultaneous presence of high complexity and high order is a fundamental characteristic of life.
- This dual characteristic is crucial for prebiotic chemistry and Darwinian evolution.
- A combination of order and complexity can be used as a universal biosignature to detect life or its remnants.
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