2026-05-05 ゲーテ大学
＜関連情報＞
- https://aktuelles.uni-frankfurt.de/english/how-life-could-arise-from-molecules/
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/anie.202523427
人文科学から生命科学まで、複雑性と創発現象の理解における化学の役割 The Role of Chemistry Across Disciplines From Humanities to Life Sciences in Understanding Complexity and Emergence
Harald Schwalbe, Josef Wachtveitl, Alexander Heckel, Florian Buhr, Sabrina Toews, Thomas M. Schimmer
Angewandte Chemie International Edition Published: 06 March 2026
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202523427
ABSTRACT
A group of researchers from the humanities, economics, social sciences, natural and life science developed a definition of the topics complexity and emergence that can be applied across disciplines. Here, concepts of complexity and emergence in chemistry and biochemistry are discussed, to promote a discourse between the natural and life sciences and philosophy. Although chemical research often employs reductionist strategies, the properties of molecules and their linked functions exhibit emergent properties that cannot be inferred solely from their atomic constituents. Assembly theory and the work of Manfred Eigen offer ways to quantify and predict emergence in chemistry, particularly in relation to the origins and evolution of life. This review emphasizes the chemical prerequisites for life, such as the formation of natural products, the emergence of nucleic acids that carry information, and the functional roles of proteins. From a philosophical standpoint, modern ontology provides a means of understanding reality that is both process-based and subject-independent. By integrating chemistry, biology and philosophy, the synopsis of this review addresses the predictive, post facto and historically unique aspects of complex systems, offering a conceptual framework for comprehending the emergence of molecular function and the evolution of living systems.
Graphical Abstract
This study explores the origins of life by linking prebiotic chemistry, the emergence of information-carrying molecules such as RNA and proteins, and philosophical questions about consciousness. The study emphasizes the role of molecular evolution in the Central Dogma and provides insights into the chemical origins of biology and the basis of life’s informational flow.
