What Is Life? by Erwin Schrödinger
The Physical Aspect of the Living Cell
"What is Life?" is a scientific exploration that delves into the intersection of physics and biology. The book presents the idea that life, at its most basic level, operates according to the laws of physics and chemistry. It introduces the concept of an "aperiodic crystal" that contains genetic information in its configuration of covalent chemical bonds, which later inspired the discovery of the structure of DNA. The book also discusses entropy and negentropy, suggesting that life feeds on negentropy to counteract the natural process of increasing entropy.
The 3279th greatest book of all time
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- Published
- 1944
- Nationality
- Austrian
- Length
- Very Short
- Pages
- 90-100
- Original Language
- English
- Avg User Rating
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(4.0)
- Alternate Titles
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- Qu'est Ce Que La Vie ? De La Physique à La Biologie
- What is Life?
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This book is on the following 4 lists:
- 12th on 25 Greatest Science Books of All Time (Discover Magazine)
- Great Books of the Western World (Great Books Foundation)
- Recommended Reading List for Students (China 2020) (Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China)
- The Well-Educated Mind (Book)