Physics of Life
2022

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Biological physics, or the physics of living systems, has emerged fully as a field of physics, alongside more traditional fields of astrophysics and cosmology, atomic, molecular and optical physics, condensed matter physics, nuclear physics, particle physics, and plasma physics. This new field brings the physicist's style of inquiry to bear on the beautiful phenomena of life. The enormous range of phenomena encountered in living systems - phenomena that often have no analog or precedent in the inanimate world - means that the intellectual agenda of biological physics is exceptionally broad, even by the ambitious standards of physics.

Physics of Life is the first decadal survey of this field, as part of a broader decadal survey of physics. This report communicates the importance of biological physics research; addresses what must be done to realize the promise of this new field; and provides guidance for informed decisions about funding, workforce, and research directions.

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Interactive Report Overview
Public Briefing Slides

Publication information

370 pages · 7 x 10 · paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-27400-1
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-27401-X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/26403

Suggested citation

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Physics of Life. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

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Front Matter i-xviii
Executive Summary 1-4
Introduction and Overview 5-44
PART I: EXPLORING BIG QUESTIONS 45-46
1 What Physics Problems Do Organisms Need to Solve? 47-87
2 How Do Living Systems Represent and Process Information? 88-118
3 How Do Macroscopic Functions of Life Emerge from Interactions Among Many Microscopic Constituents? 119-157
4 How Do Living Systems Navigate Parameter Space? 158-180
PART II: CONNECTIONS 181-181
5 Relation to Other Fields of Physics 182-195
6 Biology and Chemistry 196-218
7 Health, Medicine, and Technology 219-242
PART III: REALIZING THE PROMISE 243-243
8 Education 244-270
9 Funding, Collaboration, and Coordination 271-303
10 Building an Inclusive Community 304-316
Appendixes 317-318
Appendix A: Statement of Task 319-320
Appendix B: Recommendations 321-324
Appendix C: Queries to Funding Agencies 325-329
Appendix D: Agency Missions 330-331
Appendix E: Details Regarding National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health Grants 332-337
Appendix F: Minimal Support Levels 338-343
Appendix G: Committee Biographies 344-352

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Physics of Life (2022)

Chapter: PART I: EXPLORING BIG QUESTIONS

PART I

EXPLORING BIG QUESTIONS