Physics of Life podcasts

Tanja Janko interviews chemist Lee Cronin about Assembly Theory, chemical complexity, and the emergence of life. They discuss how molecules can reflect the history of their assembly, whether homochirality could be an early form of chemical selection, and how the Chemputer could make chemistry programmable. Other topics include the distinction between patterns and codes in biology, complex molecules as possible evidence of life on Mars, and primitive cell-like behaviour in inorganic polyoxometalate systems.

Hosted by Tanja Janko

Sean Carroll and chemist Addy Pross examine how living systems maintain persistence despite constant internal activity. Pross introduces dynamic kinetic stability: a way for chemical systems to sustain themselves through continuing processes supported by an energy source. The discussion develops this chemical perspective on the transition from nonliving matter to life and considers its implications for understanding biological organization and, more speculatively, consciousness.

Hosted by Sean Carroll

A vintage discussion with Johnjoe McFadden about possible quantum contributions to biological processes, republished as episode 13 of this series.

Christof Koch discusses the physical principles behind neuronal computation, from membrane dynamics to the integration of incoming signals.

Johnjoe McFadden discusses possible quantum effects in living organisms, including sensory processes and photosynthesis. Conversation in English.

Sara Imari Walker and Sean Carroll explore how life differs from other complex physical systems and whether information and computation help explain its emergence. Beginning around 6:38, Walker discusses biological homochirality: the preference for one molecular handedness, the roughly balanced mixtures produced without biology, and chemical symmetry breaking. Their wider conversation considers definitions of life, prebiotic chemistry, emergence, and the search for life beyond Earth.

Hosted by Sean Carroll