The origin of life has usually been framed as a chemistry problem. The focus stays on molecules, reactions, and the idea that enough complexity eventually tipped over into biology. That line of thinking explains pieces of the puzzle but leaves a bigger question unanswered. It never fully explains why matter should move in that direction in the first place.
This model starts with energy instead of chemistry. In any environment where energy is constantly flowing in, matter does not remain static. It reorganises continuously, forming and breaking structures as it processes that energy. The direction of that change is not random. Systems shift toward states that release energy more effectively over time.
Once that principle is clear, the focus changes. The important factor is not what structures exist, but which processes handle energy best. Static chemical systems can grow, but they do so at a fixed rate. A molecule can help create more of itself, leading to exponential growth, but every copy behaves the same. There is no built-in way to improve performance.
Introduce replication with variation and that limitation disappears. Copies are no longer identical. Some versions operate faster or interact more effectively with the surrounding environment. Those variants become more common simply because they produce more copies. The system begins to shift without any external input.
As more efficient variants spread, the overall reaction rate increases. More fuel is consumed in less time. More energy is released. The system is no longer just growing, it is accelerating. Each improvement feeds into the next, creating a chain where performance continues to climb.
That acceleration is what separates adaptive systems from simple chemistry. One grows at a steady pace. The other increases its pace as it runs. Over time, the difference becomes extreme. The adaptive system pulls ahead rapidly because it is not locked into a fixed rate of change.
In a driven environment, different pathways compete. Some release more energy than others across their lifespan. The ones that process more energy become more likely outcomes, not by design but through the statistical behaviour of the system. Adaptive replication rises to the top because it keeps increasing its output instead of plateauing.
This is where heredity enters the picture. The ability to store and pass on information allows the system to build on previous improvements. It is not just repeating reactions, it is refining them. That creates a continuous push toward higher efficiency in energy processing.
The advantage compounds quickly. As replication improves, it produces more opportunities for further variation. Those variations are tested automatically by the system. Effective ones spread. Ineffective ones disappear. The result is a steady shift toward configurations that handle energy more efficiently.
None of this requires intent or direction. The behaviour emerges from the dynamics of the system itself. Once replication with variation is possible, the process reinforces itself.
There are limits. Replication must be accurate enough to preserve useful changes. If errors dominate, improvements cannot accumulate. The system falls back into unstable behaviour where no progress is retained.
The process also has to run fast enough to offset decay. Molecules break down over time. If replication cannot keep pace, the system cannot sustain itself. Growth stalls and eventually collapses.
A constant energy supply is essential. Remove the input and the system loses the conditions that keep it away from equilibrium. Without that imbalance, the processes that drive replication and improvement cannot continue.
Competition also plays a role. Simpler sequences can replicate quickly without contributing to overall performance. If they take over, they drain resources without improving the system, slowing or halting progress.
These constraints act as thresholds. Below them, systems form and disappear without continuity. Above them, behaviour changes. Replication becomes stable, variation produces meaningful differences, and selection begins to shape outcomes.
That shift marks the transition from chemistry to evolution. Before it, structures exist only in the moment. After it, information carries forward. Successful configurations are preserved and built upon over time.
The system begins to move in a consistent direction. Not toward a goal, but toward states that process energy more effectively. The change is gradual but persistent, driven by the accumulation of small advantages.
This removes the need to treat life as something separate from physical processes. The same rules apply throughout. The difference lies in how far those rules are pushed once replication and variation are established.
There is also a clear way to detect when this transition occurs. Measure how energy dissipation changes over time. In simple systems, the increase follows a steady pattern. When adaptive replication takes hold, that pattern curves upward. The rate of increase begins to rise on its own.
That change can be tracked directly. It does not depend on identifying specific molecules or structures. It reflects how the system behaves as a whole. That makes it possible to study the transition in controlled environments.
The picture that emerges is direct. Under continuous energy flow, matter does not just organise into patterns. It develops processes that improve its ability to process that energy. Replication with variation is one of the most effective ways to achieve that, and once it appears, it dominates.
The question then shifts away from whether life can emerge and toward where the necessary conditions exist.
Source:
Segal, Shlomo (2026). A Formal Physical Framework for the Origin of Life: Dissipation-Driven Selection of Evolving Replicators. arXiv preprint.
Direct link: https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.15230
