Mini Symposium 2026 Jun 10 - Yiannis Laouris
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Membranes as the Earliest Entropy-Resisting Structures in the Origin of Life
Abstract
The origin of life remains among the most compelling and debated scientific mysteries. Traditional hypotheses, such as the RNA World and Metabolism-First models, emphasize nucleic acids or metabolic cycles as life's earliest foundations. However, both approaches inherently assume the existence of structured, stable compartments to maintain molecular interactions; yet do not fully explain their emergence. In this paper, we propose the Membrane-First Hypothesis, asserting that a plausible pathway toward life may have begun with spontaneously forming amphiphilic boundaries that enabled protocellular microenvironments that actively resisted entropy, maintained stable internal environments, and provided primitive localized gradients that bias reaction fluxes. Other prebiotic organizing structures, such as mineral surfaces and coacervate-like droplets, are considered alongside membranes, and their respective advantages and limitations are evaluated. Drawing insights from systems science, including dissipative structures, autopoiesis, hierarchical complexity, and cybernetics, we argue that membranes were not passive containers, but the drivers of differential persistence (‘proto-selection’) and complexity. By systematically comparing existing origin-of-life theories, we propose that membrane-based compartments uniquely integrate metabolic and genetic emergence, offering robust experimental pathways for validation. This systems-science-informed model fundamentally reshapes our understanding of life's defining origin. We argue that membranes represent one plausible route by which localized, energy-coupled protocellular systems could have emerged prior to fully Darwinian evolution.
Short Bio
ISSS President (2024-2026) and active member periodically since 2003, Laouris is a social-, business-, and science entrepreneur, Lead Scientist and CEO of Future Worlds Center [1]. Founding member of the Cyprus Society for Systemic Studies; Current President of the Board of the Institute for 21st Century Agoras [2]. Served as national representative in several European bodies such as COST Actions, Insafe, Inhope, EU Kids online, ECSO, Cybercrime Centre of Excellence, ECTEG – Europol, and as a member of Boards and/or partner in several high-tech companies [3]. One of the 12 authors of the ONLIFE Manifesto [4] and lead author of Reinventing Democracy in the Digital Era Manifesto [5]. Author of books including, Direct Democracy, Democratic [R]evolution, and Masks of Demons. Leads internationally the development of theory, tools, and applications of structured dialogic design. Yiannis researches to scale up participatory dialogic processes engaging asynchronously thousands of people in meaningful, authentic dialogues, thus accelerating institutional and societal change. Holds an MD (distinction; Germany), a PhD Neurophysiology (summa cum laude; Germany), an MSc Eng (GPA 4.0: USA), and a PhD Systems Engineering (UK). 100+ papers/book chapters; 200+ conference papers.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laouris
ORCID number: 0000-0002-9081-5849.
[1] www.futureworlds.eu
[2] https://globalagoras.org
[3] https://futureworlds.eu/wiki/Yiannis_Laouris
[4] https://futureworlds.eu/wiki/The_Onlife_Manifesto
[5] https://futureworlds.eu/wiki/Manifesto:_Democracy_in_the_Digital_Era