Life is older, weirder, and more interconnected than we ever thought
Briefly

Paul Nurse, a renowned geneticist, addresses the profound question of 'What is life?' in his first book, reflecting on its complexity beyond simple definitions. He tackles this fundamental question in biology by examining five core ideas: the cell, the gene, evolution by natural selection, the chemistry of life, and the concept of life as information. Nurse draws inspiration from historical insights, including Schrodinger’s seminal work, to unpack these concepts and explore their implications for understanding living organisms.
In the book, I aim to confront the question of what differentiates the living from the non-living—a challenge that seems simple but is quite complex.
I've built upon others' thoughts, notably Schrodinger's tremendous work on the same topic, while focusing on five key biological ideas that illuminate the concept of life.
Read at Big Think
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