The new hypothesis, known as “assembly theory,” challenges our traditional understanding of time, and preliminary evidence to support it is already available. Researchers have tried to understand how the complex objects that make up life came into existence over time.

Time is an old concept in physics, but according to biophysicists key to understanding life. An international team of researchers suggests that the evolution of life requires a rethinking of the concept of time. Evolution, the process that gives rise to the diversity of life on earth, is time dependent as it moves in a particular direction. It is the only known physical process that causes the succession of new objects, such as bacteria, mammals, and trees, which we think to be living, to appear.

Memory plays an important role

The main difference between the universe described by modern physics and the Darwin universe proposed by these biophysicists is the role of memory. Living objects need memory.relies on the past to create and maintain its existence in the present. Memory and information flow are essential to the functioning of living systems, from the DNA of cells containing the genetic program of action to the human ability to invent new technologies and drugs. Therefore, understanding how the complex objects created by life came into existence over time is crucial to explain the phenomenon of life.

“Assembly Theory”

This is where assembly theory comes into play. The basic idea is that the number of component parts increases as objects become more complexand therefore the need for local memory to store information about how to assemble an object also increases. Researchers coined the term “assembly index” to denote the number of steps required to assemble an object from its component parts. This index of assembly can be measured by mass spectrometry, which is widely used in biophysics and chemistry.

Specifically, the researchers found that molecules with an assembly index of more than 15 steps can be found in living samples, both biological and non-biological. This suggests that complex objects similar to those found in living systems can only be created through an evolutionary process that requires the accumulation of time and memory to assemble and maintain the complexity of these objects.

What helps to understand “Assembly Theory”?

The implications of this hypothesis are profound and could potentially revolutionize our understanding of time in physics. If the theory of assemblage can withstand further scientific scrutiny, it could lead to a paradigm shift in our understanding of time as a physical property of the universe. The complexity of the molecules represented by the assembly index would be time equivalent in physical arrangement. Not only does this affect our understanding of life, but it may have broader implications for our understanding of the nature of the universe.

Assembly theory offers a new perspective on the mystery of life and challenges our traditional understanding of time in physics. Recognizing the role of memory and information flow in the complexity of living systems, this hypothesis offers a new approach to explain the fundamental difference between living and nonliving matter.

More research and experiments are needed to fully test the validity of this hypothesis, but it offers exciting possibilities for deepening our understanding of life and the fundamental principles that govern the universe.