The origin of life: a new theory suggests physics holds the answer

Getty Images. (n.d.). [Image illustrating dissipative structures]. Via ScienceFocus.

Jeremy England’s dissipative adaptation theory proposes that life could naturally emerge from non living matter through basic physics. He suggests that systems receiving energy, like sunlight or heat, tend to organize into structures that dissipate energy efficiently. These “dissipative structures” maintain local order while increasing disorder (entropy) around them, similar to convection currents in heated water. Simulations show that simple particles under energy flow can develop life like behaviours, implying that life might be a natural outcome of physical laws rather than a rare accident.

Reference:
England, J. L. (2015). Dissipative Adaptation in Driven Self-Assembly. Nature Nanotechnology, 10, 919–923.
https://www.sciencefocus.com/science/the-origin-of-life-a-new-theory-suggests-physics-holds-the-answer