A5056694000- Origins and Evolution of Life
- Advanced Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
- Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies
- Space Science and Extraterrestrial Life
- Earth Systems and Cosmic Evolution
- Astronomy and Astrophysical Research
- Nonlinear Dynamics and Pattern Formation
- Lattice Boltzmann Simulation Studies
- Cryospheric studies and observations
- Protein Structure and Dynamics
- Fluid Dynamics and Turbulent Flows
- Solar Radiation and Photovoltaics
- Photoreceptor and optogenetics research
- Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation
- Energy and Environment Impacts
- Calibration and Measurement Techniques
- Astro and Planetary Science
- Spectroscopy and Quantum Chemical Studies
- Nanofluid Flow and Heat Transfer
- Landslides and related hazards
- Winter Sports Injuries and Performance
- Electric Power System Optimization
- Quantum Mechanics and Applications
- Computational Physics and Python Applications
- Geochemistry and Geologic Mapping
California Institute of Technology
2018-2024
The University of Melbourne
2024
Life Science Institute
2016-2024
Tokyo Institute of Technology
2016-2024
Ohio Department of Aging
2024
Earth-Life Science Institute
2022
Cardiff University
2019
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
2015-2018
In-Q-Tel
2017
University of Southampton
2011-2015
Physical laws—such as the laws of motion, gravity, electromagnetism, and thermodynamics—codify general behavior varied macroscopic natural systems across space time. We propose that an additional, hitherto-unarticulated law is required to characterize familiar phenomena our complex, evolving universe. An important feature classical physics conceptual equivalence specific characteristics shared by extensive, seemingly diverse body phenomena. Identifying potential equivalencies among disparate...
Motivated by the need to paint a more general picture of what life is—and could be—with respect rest phenomena universe, we propose new vocabulary for astrobiological research. Lyfe is defined as any system that fulfills all four processes living state, namely: dissipation, autocatalysis, homeostasis, and learning. Life instance lyfe are familiar with on Earth, one uses specific organometallic molecular toolbox record information about its environment achieve dynamical order dissipating...
This paper explores the idea that information is an essential and distinctive feature of living systems. Unlike non-living systems, systems actively acquire, process, use about their environments to respond changing conditions, sustain themselves, achieve other intrinsic goals. We discuss relevant theoretical frameworks such as ``semantic information'' ``fitness value information''. also highlight broader implications our perspective for fields origins-of-life research astrobiology. In...
Resolving spatially-varying exoplanet features from single-point light curves is essential for determining whether Earth-like worlds harbor geological and/or climate systems that influence habitability. To evaluate the feasibility and requirements of this spatial feature resolving problem, we present an analysis multi-wavelength Earth, where it plays role a proxy exoplanet. Here, ~10,000 DSCOVR/EPIC frames collected over two-year period were integrated Earth's disk to yield...
Gaia16aye was a binary microlensing event discovered in the direction towards northern Galactic disc and one of first events detected alerted to by Gaia space mission. Its light curve exhibited five distinct brightening episodes, reaching up I=12 mag, it covered great detail with almost 25,000 data points gathered network telescopes. We present photometric spectroscopic follow-up covering 500 days evolution. employed full Keplerian orbit model combined motion Earth around Sun reproduce...
Previous studies show that city metrics having to do with growth, productivity and overall energy consumption scale superlinearly, attributing this the social nature of cities. Superlinear scaling results in crises called 'singularities', where population demand tend infinity a finite amount time, which must be avoided by ever more frequent 'resets' or innovations postpone system's collapse. Here, we place emergence cities planetary civilizations context major evolutionary transitions. With...
We are embarking on a new age of astrobiology, one in which numerous interplanetary missions and telescopes will be designed, built, launched with the explicit goal finding evidence for life beyond Earth. Such profound aim warrants caution responsibility when interpreting disseminating results. Scientists must take care not to overstate (or over-imply) confidence detection is lacking, or only incremental advances have been made. Recently, there has call community create standards reporting...
It is common in origins of life research to view the first stages as passive result particular environmental conditions. This paper considers alternative possibility: that antecedents were already actively regulating their environment maintain conditions necessary for own persistence. In support this proposal, we describe 'viability-based behaviour': a way simple entities can adaptively regulate response health, and so doing, increase likelihood survival. Drawing on empirical investigations...
The deposition and attachment mechanism of settling snow crystals during snowfall dictates the very initial structure ice within a natural snowpack. In this letter we apply ballistic as simple model to study structural evolution growing surface snowpack its formation. roughness is predicted from behaviour time dependent height correlation function. predictions are verified by measurements based on digital photography snowfall. in agreement with theoretical limitations which discussed....
We present results from a series of experiments in which fresh snow roughness was measured by means digital photography and analyzed using the random field approach. The aim paper is to investigate scaling properties fresh‐snow‐covered surfaces capture key length scales can characterize surface geometry size crystals. Results our show following: (1) exhibits two distinguished regimes, one at comparable with crystals another larger scales; (2) we confirm that large are built up during...
We present a benchmark study of autonomous, chemical agents exhibiting associative learning an environmental feature. Associative systems have been widely studied in cognitive science and artificial intelligence but are most commonly implemented highly complex or carefully engineered systems, such as animal brains, neural networks, DNA computing gene regulatory among others. The ability to encode information use it make simple predictions is biological resilience underpins plethora adaptive...
Point source spectrophotometric ("single-point") light curves of Earth-like planets contain a surprising amount information about the spatial features those worlds. Spatially resolving these is important for assessing time-varying surface and existence an atmosphere, which in turn critical to life on Earth significant determining habitability exoplanets. Given that only celestial body confirmed harbor life, treating it as proxy exoplanet by analyzing time-resolved spectral images provides...
Alkaline hydrothermal vents have become a candidate setting for the origins of life on Earth and beyond. This is due to several key features including presence gradients temperature, redox potential, pH, availability inorganic minerals, existence network pore spaces that could served as primitive compartments. Chemical gardens long been used experimental proxies vents. paper investigates-10pc]Please note spelling following author name in manuscript differs from provided article metadata:...
Metal compounds abundant on Early Earth are thought to play an important role in the origins of life. Certain iron-sulfur minerals for example, proposed have served as primitive metalloenzyme cofactors due their ability catalyze organic synthesis processes and facilitate electron transfer reactions. An inherent difficulty with studying catalytic potential many metal is wide range data parameters consider when searching individual ligands interest. Detecting mineral-ligand pairs that...
The effects of heat transfer by ventilation in snow are investigated theoretically. We draw together standard analytical results for fluid flow porous media and apply them to the case steady flows induced periodic roughness elements. These solutions used estimate relative magnitude snow. conclude that topography‐driven is unlikely have a significant impact on larger scale energy balance snow‐covered regions since airflow confined shallow penetration depth or just elements themselves, rather...
This paper proposes new avenues for origins research that apply modern concepts from stochastic thermodynamics, information thermodynamics and complexity science. Most approaches to the emergence of life prioritize certain compounds, reaction pathways, environments or phenomena. What they all have in common is objective reaching a state recognizably alive, usually positing need an evolutionary process. As with itself, this correlates growth system over time. Complexity often takes form...
Rayleigh-B\'enard convection is a canonical example of spontaneous pattern formation in nonequilibrium system. It has been the subject considerable theoretical and experimental study, primarily for systems with constant (temperature or heat flux) boundary conditions. In this investigation, we have explored behavior convecting fluid system negative feedback At upper lower boundaries, inward flux defined such that it decreasing function temperature. Thus system's transport not constrained same...
Abstract We propose a measure, the joint differential entropy of eigencolors, for determining spatial complexity exoplanets using only spatially unresolved light-curve data. The measure can be used to search habitable planets, based on premise potential association between life and exoplanet complexity. present an analysis disk-integrated light curves from Earth, developed in previous studies, as proxy show that this quantity is distinct measures due its sensitivity information masked by...
Abstract Three-dimensional (3-D) snow analysis techniques provide comprehensive and accurate microstructure data. Nevertheless, there remains a requirement for less elaborate methods characterization, as numerical models such SNOWPACK are presently based on two-dimensional (2-D) grain analysis. We present detailed assessment of various shape descriptors used characterization from digitized images. Dendricity, the ratio square perimeter to its area, allows distinction between new old while...
Multiple authors have claimed that the natural convection of a fluid is process exhibits maximum entropy production (MEP). However, almost all such investigations were limited to fixed temperature boundary conditions (BCs). It was found under those conditions, system tends maximize its heat flux, and hence it concluded MEP state dynamical attractor. since varies with flux difference inverse temperature, essential any complete investigation allows for variations in difference. Only then can...