Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: DTE
Context: Scientists have proposed a new evolutionary law that can explain the evolution of both living and non-living entities, including minerals and stars.
- This law suggests that natural systems, whether living or non-living, evolve towards greater patterning, diversity, and complexity.
About New Evolutionary Law:
- As life evolved from single-celled to multi-celled organisms, Earth’s minerals became more complex, contributing to diversity. The interaction between biodiversity and mineral diversity played a role in shaping life as it exists today.
- It identifies three kinds of functions in nature: stability (systems with stable arrangements survive), dynamic systems with an energy supply, and novelty (exploration of new configurations or arrangements leading to new behaviours or characteristics).
This law has implications for various complex evolving systems, from astrophysics to ecology and artificial intelligence, and scientists aim to apply it to diverse domains of science.
The study showcases the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, including input from philosophers of science in shaping these ideas.
