Time's arrow and life's origin

TL;DR

This paper explores the connection between the thermodynamic arrow of time and the emergence of life, suggesting that energy fluxes from the Sun and Earth's interior influence life's development in alignment with the universe's initial conditions.

Contribution

It proposes a physical explanation linking the thermodynamic arrow of time to the conditions necessary for life's emergence, emphasizing energy fluxes as a bias.

Findings

Energy fluxes from the Sun and Earth's interior support life's development.

The development of life aligns with the universe's initial low-entropy conditions.

A simple calculation illustrates how energy fluxes influence life's directionality.

Abstract

The thermodynamic arrow-of-time problem is thought to be resolved by the observation that our universe initially was---and still is---far from equilibrium. The psychological arrow-of-time problem is often attributed the same resolution, but the connection has not been thoroughly established. I argue that a compelling explanation of the psychological arrow requires an understanding of the physical conditions necessary for life to emerge from a prebiotic environment. A simple calculation illustrates how life-sustaining energy fluxes from the Sun and the Earth's interior bias the development of life in the direction of the arrow inherited from cosmic initial conditions.