Evolving Complexity

Will to form

The structures formed from true atoms gives us the nature of the elements. Single oxygen atoms are attracted to other singles. They play a rapid dating game. Oxygen is not to be found for long as a single widow. O₂ fills the air, not single O. The same goes for Nitrogen. Many elements are attracted to other elements. Conversely there will be many instances where a repellence is seen. Compounds form. This propensity to bind and make complex structures is based on attraction and repellence in certain quarters. Some structures will be stable, others less so. The arrangement is key. Unstable structures will inevitable fall apart. Stable ones will linger. If certain chemicals get into contact with each other, reactions will occur. Bigger and more intricate compounds form. Your body is here today because atoms have a certain degree of attraction or repellence between them. The simple facets of atoms enable sophistication.

The attraction of atoms towards one another is the stepping stone on the path of structure formation. There is a will to form. An automatic process of simplicity heading to complex. Gravity, mass effect then bonding, then building. Unstable to more stable. Bunching, then splitting then recombining to make ever more elaborate forms. Crystals, lattices, networks, catalyst systems. Chemical fuels, chemical puddles, chemical production. This taking place on a planet that rotates helps. That gives us a heating, then cooling. Change.

The shift from pure chemistry to biology is significant but inevitable. This shift occurs in an environment where the temperature and pressures are just so. If it is not stable for long enough, it goes into reverse. Think again of snow, at the right temperature with enough moisture the flakes form around a seed. Each wondrously structured snowflake forms automatically. It sure seems incredible that elements and compounds self-assemble into beautiful configurations. It is even more incredible that this will to form brought viruses, bacterium and then bigger creatures into being. The lifecycle; birth to giving birth dictates the rate of evolution of the species. Viruses and bacterium can replicate so much faster than larger animals hence we see faster changes take place. Hours versus years. Life forms reach evolutionary dead ends. They may step back or step sideways a little so long as the new form is still viable.