Physics of Life
2022

Consensus

You must be logged in to download this publication.

Select Book Type

Paperback - $54.00
Ebook - $44.09

See project
Request an exam or desk copy

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.

Additional materials

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.

Import this citation to:

Bibtext
EndNote
Reference manager

First Name
Last Name
Email (required)
I agree to receive emails from the National Academies (required)

We respect your privacy and will never share your information.

Search this publication

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

Log In

Former MyNAP users: You'll need to reset your password on your first login to MyAcademies. Click "Forgot password" below to receive a reset link via email. Having trouble? Visit our FAQ page to contact support.

Members of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, or National Academy of Medicine should log in through their respective Academy portals.

Email (required)
Password (required)

Don't have an account?

Register

Email (required)
New password (required)
Retype password (required) Password must be at least 8 characters
I accept the terms of use
terms of use

Thank You

Thank you for creating a MyAcademies account!

Enjoy free access to thousands of National Academies' publications, a 10% discount off every purchase, and build your personal library.

Forgot Password

Enter the email address for your MyAcademies (formerly MyNAP) account to receive password reset instructions.

Email (required)

Reset Requested

We sent password reset instructions to your email . Follow the link in that email to create a new password. Didn't receive it? Check your spam folder or contact us for assistance.

Reset Password

New password (required)
Retype password (required) Password must be at least 8 characters

Reset Password

Your password has been reset.

Verify email

Verify Your Email Address

We sent a verification link to your email. Please check your inbox (and spam folder) and follow the link to verify your email address. If you did not receive the email, you can request a new verification link below

Physics of Life (2022)

Chapter: PART II: CONNECTIONS

PART II

CONNECTIONS