Fire, Cells, and Circuits: A World Before Life

Before life arrived on Earth, the planet was already a restless system shaped by physics, chemistry, geology, and time. Space and matter were cooling, settling, and interacting in ways that carved out the first stable patterns on a young world. Heat gradients formed, minerals crystallized, water pooled and circulated, and the surface of the Earth became a landscape where structure could accumulate.

This session explores that world before life. We’ll look at how the early planet formed, what forces dominated its behavior, and how the interplay of thermodynamics, chemistry, geology, and and water created pathways that made the emergence of life possible. From our place in the solar system to the cycles and constraints that shaped the early environment, we’ll build a picture of what the stage looked like before anything living appeared.

We’ll also begin setting the foundation for a future conversation with Dr. Helen Hansma, whose work explores the possibility that life may have originated between mica sheets embedded in early Earth’s geology. Understanding the planetary context helps make sense of why ideas like hers matter, and how the earliest steps toward life might have unfolded.

This event is Part 1 of the Cells arc in the Fire, Cells, and Circuits series. It focuses on grounding the story: the conditions, the forces, and the systems that shaped the world that life eventually emerged from.

This session is open to everyone, whether you’re new to the Fire, Cells, and Circuits series or you joined us for the introductory event. No background is required, just curiosity and a willingness to think deeply about these questions.