Fire, Cells, and Circuits: From Chemistry to Creatures

From the beginning of history at the Big Bang, to the formation of Earth, to the first sparks of life on a once-dead planet, the story of the human experience is written in fire, cells, and circuits.

Fire, Cells, and Circuits: From Chemistry to Creatures continues Part 1 of the series, Cells, and marks Chapter 3 in our exploration of how the universe gives rise to life. In this session, we focus on one of the most profound transitions in the history of the world: how a planet governed by chemistry alone begins to produce living systems.

Building on earlier chapters, including our discussion of Dr. Helen Hansma’s work on the possible origins of life in mica sheets, we examine how non-living chemistry crosses a critical threshold into biology. We’ll explore what distinguishes living systems from non-living ones, how early life begins to persist and adapt, and why this transition lays the groundwork for evolution, agency, and everything that follows.

Newcomers to the series are very welcome. We provide summaries and supporting material to help people get up to speed, and our community is full of thoughtful, knowledgeable participants who are often happy to help answer questions in the Zoom chat during the event.