The Physics of Evolution

Physics plays a significant role in evolution by introducing matter and energy resource flow, organism self-copying, and ecological change. This book uses quantitative models to explain these processes and demonstrates how complex design can arise naturally through an endless cycle of selection, multicellularity, coevolution, sexual reproduction, and the Serengeti Rules. It is a key text for students studying biophysics, physics, systems biology, and related fields.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 156 pages
Publication date: 06 June 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Physics plays a crucial role in the evolution of life on Earth, and this book provides an insightful introduction to its significance. Based on the principles of matter and energy resource flow, organism self-copying, and ecological change, the text employs these ideas to develop quantitative models for important evolutionary processes.

While many fields of science and engineering have encountered the challenge of complex design, nature has found a remarkable solution through evolution. However, the exact mechanisms behind this process have remained a mystery. Laboratory experiments and computer simulations have reached their limits in evolving complex systems, prompting the need for a more comprehensive understanding.

The key to unlocking the mystery lies in ecological change. When a new variation is selected, it can alter the ecology, creating new opportunities for even more novel variations to be selected. This continuous cycle of selection and ecological change allows complexity to grow automatically, leading to the emergence of intricate and sophisticated structures.

This book employs the physics of resource flow to describe this process in detail, developing quantitative models for various evolutionary processes such as selection, multicellularity, coevolution, sexual reproduction, and the Serengeti Rules. The text demonstrates that these models are in conceptual agreement with numerous examples of biological phenomena, providing a deep understanding of how complex design can arise naturally.

As a comprehensive and authoritative text, this book will be of great interest to students at the university level and above studying biophysics, physics, systems biology, and related fields. It serves as a valuable resource for anyone seeking to gain a deeper understanding of the role of physics in evolution and its profound implications for our understanding of life and the natural world.

Weight: 272g
Dimension: 155 x 233 x 13 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032490427