2023 年 60 巻 11 号 p. 675-681
Living system is a chemical system, as the chemical or electric power plant are. However, both systems look quite different. Here, the remarked differences are broken down into four types of characteristics, i.e., spontaneous growth of inhomogeneity, size-growth accomplished by synchronization of coupled motions, positive role of external noise and active transport (self-excitation). Simple artificial systems that exhibit these characteristics are introduced with studies by author’s group. The chemical systems are able to behave like a living matter when these characteristics are implemented. Only the open systems acting under strongly nonequilibrium conditions make the implementation possible. Interface between the system and its surroundings is only the place that satisfies this condition. Therefore, such a system should be small in scale and have a large specific area.
