Life involves the internalization of resources from the outside world into the body. This process enables growth, proliferation through division or reproduction, and maintenance of homeostasis.
Growth, reproduction, and homeostasis are often cited as distinguishing characteristics between living and non-living entities. These traits are based on the ability to internalize external resources, making the internalization of resources a fundamental aspect of life.
The Process of Internalization
Internalization of resources is not just the movement of external materials inside. It requires processes like converting the acquired resources into a usable form, transporting them to storage locations, and constructing structures for storage.
In essence, internalization involves processes of intake, conversion, transport, and construction of resources.
Construction
Among the processes of internalization in living organisms, construction has unique characteristics.
In our daily lives and economic activities, we store resources in separate containers or warehouses. In contrast, in biological storage methods, there is no clear boundary between the storage structure and the resources. The structure built by the resources stores the same materials, like a fairy tale house made of sweets, which can be utilized when needed.
Similarly, in living organisms, resources are stored within structures like fat cells or muscle fibers and are consumed by breaking down these structures when necessary.
Moreover, the constructions by living organisms are not limited to static structures; they also include dynamic, functional mechanisms, akin to an edible car in a fairy tale.
Growth and Reproduction
Among the characteristics of life — homeostasis, growth, and reproduction — growth and reproduction are essentially body construction processes. Growth is constructing one’s own body, while reproduction involves constructing another individual’s body.
Thus, construction, a step within internalization, is directly linked to two of the three key characteristics of life. Simple construction leads to growth, and more complex construction processes enable reproduction.
Homeostasis
Homeostasis refers to the ability of an organism to maintain a consistent state of its body, properties, and functions over time and despite environmental changes.
When resources from the environment are scarce, the organism must consume internal resources to maintain its body, properties, and functions. Therefore, internalizing resources when they are available is vital for maintaining homeostasis.
For endothermic animals, maintaining a constant body temperature is a clear example of homeostasis. Body temperature naturally rises during warm days, utilizing external heat resources. When it’s cold, the body uses stored resources like fat to maintain temperature.
Thus, internalization plays an indirect but crucial role in homeostasis. The ability to internalize resources is a significant factor in the evolution of homeostasis.
In Conclusion: The Essence of Life
Internalization mechanisms are deeply intertwined, directly or indirectly, with the three characteristics of life: homeostasis, growth, and reproduction.
It is plausible that, prior to the emergence of life, non-living substances acquired mechanisms of internalization, evolving over time to develop life’s characteristics.
This provides an answer to the question of the essence of life. Advanced internalization of resources leads to life. The processes of intake, conversion, transport, and construction, if applicable to non-living entities and capable of evolution, could explain one aspect of the origin of life.
