Life-like properties observed in a very simple system

The physicists working in Emory University have made very interesting discovery decribed in a popular article and in more technical article by the Guran Gogia and Justin Burton.

The very simple system studied exhibits what authors call self-organized bistability making phase transitions between crystal like and liquid like states. The expectation was that only single stable state would appear. Neuron groups can also have collective bistability (periodic synchronous firing). Neurons are however themselves bistable systems: now the particles are plastic balls and are not bistable. One could say that the system exhibits life-like properties. The most remarkable life-like property is metabolism required by the sequence of phase transitions involving dissipation. Where does the metabolic energy come from?

Why the finding is interesting from TGD point of view is that TGD provides a general model for living systems, a general quantal interpretation of metabolism, and suggests also new sources of metabolic energy. The system also has features bringing in mind living cell so that the attempt to interpret the findings solely in terms of non-equilibrium thermodynamics might miss something essential. TGD based model forces to study seriously the possibility that dark nucleosynthesis could be a source of metabolic energy in living matter.

See the updated article Life-like properties observed in a very simple system or the chapter of "TGD based view about living matter and remote mental interactions" with the same title.

For a summary of earlier postings see Latest progress in TGD.

Articles and other material related to TGD.