Book Reviewed: What Is Life? Five Great Ideas in Biology by Paul Nurse

What makes life? This is a short book of 143 pages, well-written, reads fast, and it is extremely illuminating. This book is written for a layperson and should interest readers interested in the biological and philosophical nature of life. Erwin Schrodinger’s book with the same title published in 1944, generated profound thoughts, and this book takes us to the next level as more knowledge is available now. A living cell has unique properties with complex biochemical mechanisms for its independent existence, generating energy (metabolism), and reproduction. How does chemistry give rise to biology? What could have led the first replicating molecules up such a path? The author proposes five unique ideas for life to emerge in the cosmos. With a framework of laws of physics operating in cosmos, the physical structure of a cell, the biomolecule that holds the genetic information (hereditary), biological evolution by natural selection, well-coordinated biochemical reactions and the information contained in a biological cell. The ability of life to evolve through natural selection and a hereditary system that exhibits variability is essential for organisms. Cells must be bounded, physical entities, separated from, but in communication with their environments. These characteristics of biological life invoke a physicality of life that excludes computer programs (artificial intelligence), and cultural entities like economy, technology, and cities which also evolve but not the same as a living cell. Viruses cycle between being alive, when chemically active and reproducing in host cells, and not being alive when existing as chemically inert viruses outside a cell. The gut microbes exist independently in humans and other animals that affect the physiology and neurobiology of their hosts. The mitochondria that produce cellular energy were entirely separate bacteria but entered the living cell to permanently reside during the biological evolution. Most primitive microscopic cyanobacteria (blue-green algae), photosynthesize and capture their own nitrogen, and the archaea get all their energy and chemical raw materials from volcanically active hydrothermal vents deep below on the seafloor. All living organisms, to various degrees, are interdependent with their environment and other species. The way life couples complex polymer chemistry with linear information storage is a compelling principle. But one thing that the author doesn’t consider is consciousness and how it operates in life forms. Erwin Schrodinger argued in his book that an undiscovered physical law would explain life completely. That was a time when little was known about biological consciousness. Consciousness is not found in physics formulas but becomes necessary in the interpretation of quantum reality. The consciousness and spacetime are emerging phenomenon when matter and energy act according to the laws of physics. But the desire (consciousness) to survive, reproduce and avoid danger for its own existence operates in most primitive life forms. In fact, some plant biologists argue that plants also have consciousness despite the fact that they don’t have a brain or network of neurons (nervous system). There are academic journals that publishes biological papers in the field of plant neurobiology and plant cell communication