Complexity in the Universe

1. It is a scrambled egg. But as you look at it, I hope you'll begin to feel just slightly uneasy. Because you may notice that what's actually happening is that the egg is unscrambling itself. And you'll now see the yolk and the white have separated. And now they're going to be poured back into the egg. And we all know in our heart of hearts that this is not the way the universe works.

An egg, when scrambled, becomes a delicious, yet chaotic mess. It loses its form and structure, turning into a mush of yolks and whites. We intuitively understand that this process of unscrambling an egg is not how the universe operates. The universe tends to move from order and structure to lack of order, lack of structure, or in simpler terms, from complexity to simplicity. This is known as the second law of thermodynamics, or the law of entropy.

Entropy is a fundamental concept in physics, describing the tendency of systems to evolve towards a state of disorder and randomness. It is the reason why a broken glass cannot spontaneously reassemble itself or why a cup of hot coffee eventually cools down. The general trajectory of the universe, according to the second law, is from ordered and structured states to disordered and unstructured states.

However, if we look around us, we witness staggering complexity in the world. Take, for example, the bustling city of New York. It is estimated that in New York City alone, there are approximately 10 billion distinct commodities being traded, surpassing the number of species on Earth by hundreds of times. Moreover, the global system connects almost seven billion individuals through trade, travel, and the Internet, forming a network of extraordinary complexity.

This raises a great puzzle: How is it possible to generate such complexity in a universe governed by the second law of thermodynamics? The answer lies in the existence of what Fred Spier, calls "Goldilocks conditions." These conditions are neither too hot nor too cold but just right for the creation of complexity. They are pockets where slightly more complex things can emerge.

In these pockets, the universe undergoes a process of incremental complexity building. It starts with the appearance of slightly more complex entities, which, in turn, enable the emergence of even more complex entities. This gradual progression from simplicity to complexity happens in stages, with each stage marked by what we refer to as threshold moments.

At each threshold moment, the task of creating further complexity becomes increasingly challenging. The more complex things become the more fragile and vulnerable they are. The Goldilocks conditions required for their existence become more stringent, making it difficult for complexity to sustain and evolve. However, when these conditions are met, complexity can continue to grow and evolve, pushing the boundaries of what is possible.

Let's take a journey through the history of the universe to understand how complexity has unfolded. We'll start at the beginning of time, during the Big Bang. The universe was initially hot and dense, consisting primarily of energy. As it expanded and cooled, particles began to form, leading to the creation of matter. Over time, these particles clumped together due to gravity, forming stars and galaxies.

Within stars, nuclear reactions occurred, fusing lighter elements into heavier ones, such as hydrogen into helium and helium into carbon. The process of stellar nucleosynthesis continued, producing a wide range of elements that would later become the building blocks of planets and life.

As galaxies formed and stars died, they released these enriched elements into space. This material, along with interstellar dust and gas, eventually came together to form new star systems and planetary systems. On one such planet, Earth, conditions were just right for the emergence of life.

Life on Earth originated through a series of complex chemical reactions. The early Earth provided the necessary ingredients: water, organic molecules, and a source of energy. Through a process called abiogenesis, these molecules combined and gave rise to self-replicating molecules, such as RNA. These molecules served as templates, allowing for the stabilization and replication of information.

Over time, these simple self-replicating systems evolved into more complex organisms, eventually leading to the emergence of DNA as the primary carrier of genetic information. DNA provided a more stable and efficient way to store and transmit information, allowing for greater complexity and diversity in living organisms.

The process of evolution acted upon this diversity, favoring traits that increased survival and reproduction. Through natural selection, organisms adapted to their environments, leading to the development of complex ecosystems with intricate webs of interdependence.

Fast forward to the present day, and we find ourselves in a world teeming with complexity. Human beings, the product of billions of years of evolution, have reached a level of cognitive complexity that allows us to create language, art, technology, and societies. Our collective learning and cultural transmission have exponentially accelerated the growth of complexity in our world.

The power of language has allowed us to communicate and share knowledge across generations. We have migrated and adapted to various environments, expanding our reach across the globe. The discovery of agriculture and the subsequent energy bonanza enabled the growth of civilizations and the emergence of complex societies.

Today, we are more interconnected than ever before. The Internet and global trade have created a highly complex and interconnected global system. Our collective actions have both positive and negative consequences, as we grapple with challenges such as climate change, resource depletion, and social inequality.

While complexity has flourished on Earth, it is essential to recognize that it is not without limits. The resources we rely on, such as fossil fuels, are finite, and our current patterns of energy consumption are unsustainable. The delicate balance of complexity we have achieved faces significant challenges that require careful stewardship and innovation to address.

In conclusion, the puzzle of complexity in the universe is resolved through the existence of Goldilocks conditions, where incremental complexity can emerge and evolve. From the formation of stars and planets to the emergence of life and human civilization, complexity has grown through a series of threshold moments. However, the challenges we face today remind us of the fragility and limitations of complexity. It is up to us to navigate the complexities of our world responsibly and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.