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From systems chemistry to systems astrobiology: life in the universe as an emergent phenomenon

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 July 2012

J. Chela-Flores
J. Chela-Flores*
Affiliation:
The Abdus Salam ICTP, Strada Costiera 11, 34151 Trieste, Italia and Instituto de Estudios Avanzados, IDEA, Caracas 1015A, República Bolivariana de Venezuela e-mail: chelaf@ictp.it
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Abstract

Although astrobiology is a science midway between the life and physical sciences, it has surprisingly remained largely disconnected from recent trends in certain branches of both life and physical sciences. We discuss potential applications to astrobiology of approaches that aim at integrating rather than reducing. Aiming at discovering how systems properties emerge has proved valuable in chemistry and in biology. The systems approach should also yield insights into astrobiology, especially concerning the ongoing search for alternative abodes for life. This is feasible since new data banks in the case of astrobiology – considered as a branch of biology – are of a geophysical/astronomical kind, rather than the molecular biology data that are used for questions related firstly, to genetics in a systems context and secondly, to biochemistry for solving fundamental problems, such as protein or proteome folding. By focusing on how systems properties emerge in astrobiology we consider the question: can life in the universe be interpreted as an emergent phenomenon? In the search for potential habitable worlds in our galactic sector with current space missions, extensive data banks of geophysical parameters of exoplanets are rapidly emerging. We suggest that it is timely to consider life in the universe as an emergent phenomenon that can be approached with methods beyond the science of chemical evolution – the backbone of previous research in questions related to the origin of life. The application of systems biology to incorporate the emergence of life in the universe is illustrated with a diagram for the familiar case of our own planetary system, where three Earth-like planets are within the habitable zone (HZ) of a G2 V (the complete terminology for the Sun in the Morgan–Keenan system) star. We underline the advantage of plotting the age of Earth-like planets against large atmospheric fraction of a biogenic gas, whenever such anomalous atmospheres are discovered in these worlds. A prediction is made as to the nature of the atmospheres of the planets that lie in the stellar HZs.

Keywords

Astrobiologysystems biologyfitness of the environment for the evolution of lifeexploration of the solar systemCoROT MissionKepler MissionKepler-22bHubble Space Telescopeuniversal Darwinismevolutionary convergence
Type
Research Article
Information
International Journal of Astrobiology , Volume 12 , Issue 1 , January 2013 , pp. 8 - 16
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

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