為什麼生命世界可能是物理學的下一個偉大前沿？
亞歷克斯·J·萊文的《生命重要》（Living Matter）現已上市（英國1月20日出版）。了解更多並訂購：https://hubs.ly/Q03VP83b0
物理學的前沿似乎遙不可及——位於不可見的量子領域或宇宙的最遠端。但物理學最令人興奮的前沿之一其實比我們想像的要近得多：它存在於我們自身和其他生物體內，展現出我們尚未理解的驚人複雜的結構模式和動態過程。在《生命重要》一書中，著名生物物理學家亞歷克斯·萊文解釋了為什麼揭開生命的奧秘最終可能需要一種新的物理學——一種能夠充分考慮生命物質和非生命物質之間根本差異的物理學。
萊文解釋說，生命的獨特之處不僅在於其演化歷史和功能，還在於它展現出獨特的結構和組織行為的複雜性。此外，生命在許多狀態下依然蓬勃發展，而這些狀態並非總是能用解釋非生命系統的相同物理原理來預測。從單一蛋白質到整個細胞群，從DNA到眼睛、耳朵和大腦，萊文探索了生命中最具前景的領域，在這些領域中，新的物理學可能正在萌芽。在這個過程中，他探討了許多引人入勝的問題，例如思維的電學本質以及生命如何從無生命物質中產生。
《生命重要》揭示了對生物世界的研究能為物理學做出哪些貢獻，展現了在我們觸手可及的未知領域中蘊藏的潛在科學革命。
#物理學 #科學 #生物學 #生物物理學 #ReadUP
Why the living world may be the next great frontier of physics.
Living Matter by Alex J. Levine is now available (20 Jan UK pub). Learn more and order yours: https://hubs.ly/Q03VP83b0
The frontiers of physics can seem impossibly remote—located in the invisible quantum realm or the farthest reaches of the cosmos. But one of physics’ most exciting frontiers lies much closer than we realize: within our own bodies and other living organisms, which display astonishingly intricate structural patterns and dynamic processes that we don’t yet understand. In Living Matter, leading biophysicist Alex Levine explains why unraveling the mysteries of life may ultimately demand a new physics—one that takes full account of the fundamental differences between living and nonliving matter.
Life is distinct not only because of its evolutionary history and function, Levine explains, but because it exhibits unique complexities of structure and organizational behavior. In addition, life thrives in states that are not always predictable by means of the same physical principles used to explain nonliving systems. From single proteins to entire collections of cells, and from DNA to the eyes, ears, and brain, Levine tours the most promising areas of life where a new physics might be found. Along the way, he considers many fascinating issues, such as the electrical nature of thought and the emergence of life from the inanimate.
Revealing what the study of the biological world can contribute to physics, Living Matter unveils the potential scientific revolution that exists in the uncharted territory lying at, and in, our very fingertips.
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