How Matter becomes life, in 7 minutes

Lee Cronin, a chemist at the University of Glasgow, discusses the gap between the physics of the universe and the emergence of biological life. He introduces assembly theory, which posits that life arises through two fundamental processes: copying and existence. This theory aims to explain how inanimate matter evolves into living organisms, suggesting that complexity at scale is essential for life. Cronin emphasizes that while traditional physics does not predict biological emergence, assembly theory provides a framework to understand this transition. He argues that life is characterized by its ability to create complex structures and that the essence of life lies in its capacity to persist and replicate. This perspective has implications for astrobiology, as NASA is exploring assembly theory to identify potential life forms beyond Earth. Cronin's work challenges the Earth-centric view of biology, proposing that complexity, rather than specific molecules, could serve as a universal marker for life. He illustrates his ideas with the analogy of finding multiple identical objects, like iPhones, on Mars, which would suggest a living system's involvement in their creation. Ultimately, Cronin concludes that the key to understanding life is recognizing the simple yet profound processes of copying and existence, which allow fragile chemistry to sustain itself over time.