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VERSION:2.0
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
PRODID:UW-Madison-Physics-Events
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SEQUENCE:2
UID:UW-Physics-Event-8259
DTSTART:20230509T200000Z
DTEND:20230509T220000Z
DTSTAMP:20260414T033145Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230417T144636Z
LOCATION:4274 Chamberlin
SUMMARY:Mathematics of evolving ecologies in chemical reaction network
 s and the origins of biochemical life\, Graduate Program Event\, Prafu
 l Gagrani\, Physics Graduate Student
DESCRIPTION:Modern physics and biology satisfactorily explain the pass
 age from the Big Bang to the formation of Earth and the first cells to
  present-day life\, respectively. However\, the origins of biochemical
  life still remain an open question. Any answer to the question must e
 xplain how an evolving ecology of polymers of ever-increasing length c
 ould come about on a planet that otherwise consisted only of small mol
 ecules. In this work\, we use chemical reaction network theory to deve
 lop a formalism for defining a notion of ecology as well as different 
 categories of evolution. We then construct abstract polymer models tha
 t can exhibit dynamics such that attractors in the polymer composition
  space with a higher average polymer length are also more probable. Fu
 rthermore\, we demonstrate a polymerization model in two monomers that
  exhibits historical contingency. While this work provides a step forw
 ards towards understanding the origins of biochemical life\, we conclu
 de with a discussion of the limitations of our formalism and direction
 s where future work is needed.
URL:https://www.physics.wisc.edu/events/?id=8259
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