Boundaries of life: The role of self-organization in the transition from non-living to living systems

This project investigates the emergence of lifelike structures from active matter, bridging the gap between non-living and living systems. While life is often defined by compartmentalization, information processing, and self-replication, the underlying principles governing its emergence remain unclear. Through an interdisciplinary approach that combines philosophical inquiry with experimental and computational biology, we explore how self-organization and external spatial constraints drive the formation of lifelike behaviors.Using frog egg extracts and embryonic cells assembled in controlled environments, we will examine how compartment interactions and external factors—such as geometric confinement and temperature gradients—shape supracellular organization. Complementary in silico models will capture these dynamics, providing a mechanistic framework for understanding self-organization in biological systems.Our project emphasizes theoretical and experimental insights into the fundamental processes that give rise to lifelike behavior. These findings will inform both scientific and philosophical perspectives on the nature of life. Additionally, an interactive online platform will engage the public in exploring how life emerges from its components, fostering broader discourse on the boundaries and implications of synthetic life.Through this integrated effort across philosophy, experimental biology, and computational modeling, we aim to refine the fundamental question “What is life?” into empirically testable hypotheses, deepening our understanding of the principles that govern living systems.

Keywords:Philosophy of biophysics, Synthetic biology, Multiphysics modeling, Philosophy of life, Artificial cells, Self-organization

Disciplines:Animal cell and molecular biology, Philosophy of natural sciences, Synthetic biology, Biomaterials, Cytoskeleton, Philosophy of medical and biomedical sciences, Cell division, Soft condensed matter, Computational biomodelling and machine learning, Nonlinear sciences, Philosophy of technology