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Can Pareto Optimality Be Evidence of Life?
Niall Rodgers1, Corentin C Loron1,2, H James Cleaves3,4,5
1UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
Astrobiology
|June 23, 2026
Summary
Pareto optimality, a concept from economics, can help identify potential signs of extraterrestrial life. Objects optimized for multiple functions, like those found in biology, are more likely to be biogenic.
Area of Science:
- Astrobiology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Systems Biology
Background:
- Biological evolution involves trade-offs where improving one trait may impair another.
- Pareto optimality, used in economics and engineering, describes solutions where no improvement can be made without sacrifice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore if Pareto optimality can serve as evidence for life in astrobiology.
- To propose a framework for identifying biogenic materials based on functional trade-offs.
Main Methods:
- Analyzing the concept of Pareto optimality in the context of biological functions.
- Examining examples like bacterial morphology, mycelial networks, and molecular selection.
- Comparing properties of objects to known biological forms within and outside the Pareto set.
Main Results:
- Biogenic objects are hypothesized to exhibit properties within a Pareto optimal set due to functional trade-offs.
- Objects outside the Pareto set, even with life-like characteristics, are less likely to be biogenic.
- Detection of Pareto optimality may indicate functionality and biogenicity.
Conclusions:
- Pareto optimality can be a valuable tool for detecting life beyond Earth.
- The framework aids in distinguishing between biogenic and non-biogenic materials based on evolutionary constraints.
- This approach offers a novel method for identifying extraterrestrial life in unfamiliar contexts.
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