"This work shows that biological systems are fundamentally computer-based."Hello WorldA trio of researchers have published an unorthodox research paper that claims blockchain technology, the decentralized ledgers behind cryptocurrency like Bitcoin, meets at least some criteria that biologists use when defining life.According to theory research published in Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres, Saturday's theoretical research shows that there are many similarities between how DNA and genetics drive evolutionary change and how blockchain nodes drive technological advancement. Although the paper does not claim that blockchains can be alive in the same manner as biological cells, it does suggest that they could. It is however provocative. The paper makes claims that blockchain-based organisms fit certain definitions of life, and may surpass biological life in terms evolutionary adaptability and developmental development.Oleg Abramov, senior scientist at Planetary Science Institute and lead author of the study, stated in a press release that this work shows that biological systems are fundamentally computer-based.Life 2.0The paper concludes that blockchain networks meet all the criteria of biological life and can eventually evolve and grow just like organisms.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe paper presents a model for a decentralized, self sustaining, self-organizing and self-regulating, blockchain-based organism. It is an operationally closed system. We also describe the development of technologies that may enable it in the near future.These systems have many advantages over biological life, according to the paper. They can be passed on acquired traits to offspring, allow specialized cells to function independently from the host organism and avoid programmed death and senescence.According to the paper, these advantages could theoretically allow AI operating on such a Blockchain to evolve in a manner that resembles but has greater direction than the randomness inherent in natural selection. This will ultimately lead to the creation of artificial general intelligence, which is smarter and more sophisticated over the course of time.READ MORE: A new definition of life and cybernetic implications [Planetary Science Institute]AdvertisementAdvertisementMore about crypto tech: Crypto Dev is taken to jail for checking his Coinbase account
