Towards an Autonomous Evolution of Non-Biological Physical Organisms

We propose an experimental study where simplistic organ- isms rise from inanimate matter and evolve solely through physical interactions. These organisms are composed of three types of macroscopic building blocks floating in an agitated medium. The dynamism of the medium allows the blocks to physically bind with and disband from each other. This results in the emergence of organisms and their reproduction. The process is governed solely by the building blocks' local interactions in the absence of any blueprint or central command. We demonstrate the feasibility of our approach by realistic computer simulations and a hardware prototype. Our results suggest that an autonomous evolution of non-biological organisms can be realized in human-designed environments and, potentially, in natural environments.