THE FRONTIERS COLLECTION THE FRONTIERS COLLECTION Series Editors: A.C. Elitzur L. Mersini-Houghton M.A. Schlosshauer M.P. Silverman J.A. Tuszynski R. Vaas H.D. Zeh The books in this collection are devoted to challenging and open problems at the forefront of mod- ern science, including related philosophical debates. In contrast to typical research mono-graphs, however, they strive to present their topics in a manner accessible also to scientifically literate non- specialists wishing to gain insight into the deeper implications and fascinating questions involved. Taken as a whole, the series reflects the need for a fundamental and interdisciplinary approach to modern science. Furthermore, it is intended to encourage active scientists in all areas to pon- der over important and perhaps controversial issues beyond their own speciality. Extending from quantum physics and relativity to entropy, consciousness and complex systems – the Frontiers Collection will inspire readers to push back the frontiers of their own knowledge. Other Recent Titles Weak Links The Universal Key to the Stability of Networks and Complex Systems By P. Csermely Entanglement, Information, and the Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics By G. Jaeger Particle Metaphysics A Critical Account of Subatomic Reality By B. Falkenburg The Physical Basis of the Direction of Time By H.D. Zeh Mindful Universe Quantum Mechanics and the Participating Observer By H. Stapp Decoherence and the Quantum-To-Classical Transition By M.A. Schlosshauer The Nonlinear Universe Chaos, Emergence, Life By A. Scott Symmetry Rules How Science and Nature Are Founded on Symmetry By J. Rosen Quantum Superposition Counterintuitive Consequences of Coherence, Entanglement, and Interference By M.P. Silverman For all volumes see back matter of the book Hildegard Meyer-Ortmanns · Stefan Thurner Editors PRINCIPLES OF EVOLUTION From the Planck Epoch to Complex Multicellular Life 123 Editors Hildegard Meyer-Ortmanns Stefan Thurner Jacobs University Bremen Medizinische Universität Wien School of Engineering & Science Inst. für Wissenschaft Komplexer Campus Ring 8 Systeme 28759 Bremen Währinger Gürtel 18–20 Germany 1090 Wien [email protected] Austria [email protected] Series Editors: Avshalom C. Elitzur Bar-Ilan University, Unit of Interdisciplinary Studies, 52900 Ramat-Gan, Israel email: [email protected] Laura Mersini-Houghton Dept. Physics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3255, USA email: [email protected] Maximilian A. Schlosshauer Niels Bohr Institute, Blegdamsvej 17, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark email: [email protected] Mark P. Silverman Trinity College, Dept. Physics, Hartford CT 06106, USA email: [email protected] Jack A. Tuszynski University of Alberta, Dept. Physics, Edmonton AB T6G 1Z2, Canada email:[email protected] Rüdiger Vaas University of Giessen, Center for Philosophy and Foundations of Science, 35394 Giessen, Germany email: [email protected] H. Dieter Zeh Gaiberger Straße 38, 69151 Waldhilsbach, Germany email: [email protected] ISSN 1612-3018 ISBN 978-3-642-18136-8 e-ISBN 978-3-642-18137-5 DOI 10.1007/978-3-642-18137-5 Springer Heidelberg Dordrecht London New York Library of Congress Control Number: 2011922328 c Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2011 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilm or in any other way, and storage in data banks. Duplication of this publication or parts thereof is permitted only under the provisions of the German Copyright Law of September 9, 1965, in its current version, and permission for use must always be obtained from Springer. Violations are liable to prosecution under the German Copyright Law. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protec- tive laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. Cover design: KuenkelLopka GmbH, Heidelberg Printed on acid-free paper Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com) To Carlo (H.M.-O.) To Franziska (S.T.) Preface The year 2009 was celebrated worldwide as Darwin year, 200 years after Charles Darwin’s birth and 150 years after the appearance of his seminal book On the Origin of Species. Countless contributions in both the scientific and popular media revived the ongoing controversy between Darwinism and modern evolution theory on one hand and creationism – devoid of any scientific basis – on the other. The discussions were often polemic and varied in their degree of objectiveness. This inspired us to suggest a comprehensive survey of recent achievements in understanding evolution from a purely scientific point of view. The contributions are from internationally known experts from various disci- plines, writing about evolutionary theory from the perspective of their own fields, ranging from mathematics, physics, and cosmology, to biochemistry and cell biol- ogy. The concentration on natural sciences means that only some aspects of cultural evolution are covered. Seemingly simple questions are posed, concerning the origin of life, the origin of the universe, the concept of self-organization without the need for external interference, the probability of life coming into existence “by chance”, and the role of contingency as compared to necessity; but instead of simple and premature answers being proposed, the questions are refined and specified until an answer can be arrived at using tools from the natural sciences. Scientific challenges correspond to reducing a complex problem by breaking it up into parts, finding common underlying mechanisms in the plethora of phenomena, or reproducing evo- lutionary processes in lab experiments or computer simulations; deeper insight and involvement in these challenges usually go along with fascination, amazement, and, finally, respect for the outcome of evolution in its full variety. We hope to contribute to all these aspects with our compilation of progress in the theory of evolution. The book is addressed to readers with a background in life sciences and interest in mathematical modeling, or with a mathematical background in modeling and an interest in biological applications. We thank the authors for their contributions and are indebted to the staff of Springer-Verlag for their support during the preparation of this book. Bremen, Germany Hildegard Meyer-Ortmanns Vienna, Austria Stefan Thurner August 2010 vii Contents 1 Introduction ................................................... 1 Hildegard Meyer-Ortmanns Part I Principles of Evolution 2 Physical Principles of Evolution .................................. 45 Peter Schuster 3 The Interplay of Replication, Variation and Selection in the Dynamics of Evolving Populations .......................... 81 Richard A. Blythe 4 A Simple General Model of Evolutionary Dynamics ................119 Stefan Thurner 5 Can We Recognize an Innovation? Perspective from an Evolving Network Model ................................................145 Sanjay Jain and Sandeep Krishna Part II From Random to Complex Structures: The Concept of Self-Organization for Galaxies, Asters, and Spindles 6 How Stochastic Dynamics Far from Equilibrium Can Create Nonrandom Patterns ...........................................175 Gunter M. Schütz 7 Structure Formation in the Universe .............................189 Matthias Bartelmann ix x Contents 8 The Need for Quantum Cosmology ...............................205 Claus Kiefer 9 Self-Organization in Cells .......................................219 Leif Dehmelt and Philippe Bastiaens Part III Protocells In Silico and In Vitro 10 Approach of Complex-Systems Biology to Reproduction and Evolution ..................................................241 Kunihiko Kaneko 11 Wet Artificial Life: The Construction of Artificial Living Systems . 261 Harold Fellermann 12 Towards a Minimal System for Cell Division ......................281 Petra Schwille Part IV From Cells to Societies 13 Bacterial Games ...............................................297 Erwin Frey and Tobias Reichenbach 14 Darwin and the Evolution of Human Cooperation .................331 Karl Sigmund and Christian Hilbe 15 Similarities Between Biological and Social Networks in Their Structural Organization ........................................349 Byungnam Kahng, Deokjae Lee, and Pureun Kim 16 From Swarms to Societies: Origins of Social Organization ..........367 Alexander S. Mikhailov Index .............................................................381 Contributors Matthias Bartelmann Institut für Theoretische Astrophysik, Zentrum für Astronomie, Universität Heidelberg, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany [email protected] Philippe Bastiaens Department of Systemic Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, D-44227 Dortmund, Germany; Department of Chemical Biology, Technische Universität, D-44227 Dortmund, Germany, [email protected] Richard A. Blythe SUPA, School of Physics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JZ, UK, [email protected] Leif Dehmelt Department of Systemic Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, D-44227 Dortmund, Germany; Department of Chemical Biology, Technische Universität, D-44227 Dortmund, Germany, [email protected]