Can physics define the universal requirements for every form of life?
In short: Is life a biological accident or a physical necessity? By applying constructor theory, physicists are attempting to identify the fundamental constraints that any living system must obey. This approach moves beyond Earth-centric biology to discover what makes life possible across the entire universe.
Chiara Marletto, a Research Fellow at the University of Oxford, utilizes a framework known as constructor theory to explore these questions. Unlike traditional biology, which describes how life behaves on Earth, constructor theory seeks to identify the fundamental physical requirements for any system capable of 'construction.' This means identifying the underlying laws that govern what is physically possible for a system to do, regardless of its specific chemical makeup or environment. Marletto holds degrees from both Turin and Oxford universities. Her academic background spans theoretical physics alongside interests in epistemology and Italian literature.
A key goal of this research is assessing whether essential features of living systems—specifically the ability to self-reproduce and evolve—are compatible with the fundamental laws of physics. Marletto's work bridges several complex fields, including thermodynamics, information theory, and quantum biology. By using constructor theory as a generalization of the quantum theory of information, she aims to define general principles that encompass classical, quantum, and post-quantum theories. Her work specifically addresses the theory of control and causation. She also investigates witnesses of non-classicality in systems that might not follow quantum rules, such as gravity.
This research matters because it seeks a scale-independent definition of concepts like irreversibility, work, and heat. By establishing these definitions through constructor-theoretic ideas, scientists can better understand the 'Science of Can and Can't.' The ultimate objective is to determine if life is governed by universal physical constraints that would remain constant whether life evolves in a terrestrial ocean or a distant, alien environment. She is currently authoring a book titled The Science of Can and Can’t for Penguin. This upcoming publication will be inspired by her research into these foundational physical principles.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: What Must All Life Have in Common? | Chiara Marletto
- Also: Chiara Marletto - Wolfson College
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