I. Introduction
A. The biogenesis timescale problem
The emergence of life from non-living matter represents one of the most profound unsolved problems at the intersection of physics, chemistry, and biology [
1,
2]. While experimental prebiotic chemistry has successfully demonstrated the synthesis of organic building blocks under plausible early Earth conditions [
3,
4,
5], a fundamental quantitative inconsistency persists: the observed rapidity of terrestrial biogenesis (~10⁹ years from planetary formation to first life) [
6,
7] contradicts theoretical estimates of the timescales required for random chemical search.
Consider the formation of a minimal functional protein of length N = 100 amino acids. With 20 canonical amino acids, the configuration space contains 20¹⁰⁰ ≈ 10¹³⁰ possibilities. If each configuration is sampled at molecular collision rates (~10⁶ s⁻¹), exhaustive search requires:
This exceeds the current age of the universe (~10¹⁰ years) by 107 orders of magnitude. Even accounting for planetary-scale parallelization (N
parallel ~ 10⁴⁸ molecules) and assuming only 1 in 10⁶⁰ configurations is functional, the expected time remains:
still far exceeding observational constraints. This "combinatorial impossibility" problem [
8,
9] suggests that either (i) functional configurations occupy a far larger fraction of sequence space than estimated, (ii) the search process is highly non-random and biased toward functional solutions, or (iii) initial conditions were exquisitely fine-tuned.
Recent progress in systems chemistry has revealed that autocatalytic networks can dramatically accelerate molecular evolution [
10,
11], and experiments demonstrate that chemical reaction networks self-organize under environmental constraints [
12]. However, these mechanisms require initial molecular complexity to exist before selection can operate—the classical "bootstrapping problem" [
13,
14].
B. Universal features demanding explanation
Beyond timescale considerations, terrestrial biochemistry exhibits universal features requiring physical explanation:
Homochirality: All terrestrial life uses exclusively L-amino acids and D-sugars, despite no fundamental energy difference between enantiomers [
15,
16]. Meteoritic amino acids show small but consistent L-excesses (ee ~ 1-15%) [
17,
18], suggesting a cosmological or astrophysical rather than purely terrestrial origin.
Conserved metabolic pathways: Core metabolic networks (glycolysis, citric acid cycle, pentose phosphate pathway) are universal across all domains of life, suggesting either a single origin or profound constraints on viable biochemistry [
19,
20].
Rapid emergence: Isotopic evidence for biological activity appears as early as 3.8 Gyr, within ~700 Myr of Earth's formation and the end of late heavy bombardment [
21,
22], indicating life emerged as soon as environmental conditions permitted.
These observations motivate the hypothesis that prebiotic chemistry was not a random exploration of configuration space but rather a biased search guided by physical constraints or information from an external source.
C. Conformal Cyclic Cosmology and initial conditions
Roger Penrose's Conformal Cyclic Cosmology (CCC) [
23,
24] proposes that our observable universe (an "aeon") is one in an infinite sequence, where the infinite future of Aeon
n (
⁺
n) is conformally identified with the Big Bang of Aeon
(n+1) (
⁻
(n+1)). This framework addresses the profound puzzle of cosmological initial conditions: the extraordinarily low entropy of the Big Bang, quantified by the Weyl Curvature Hypothesis [
25], which requires the initial gravitational entropy to be lower than the maximum by a factor exceeding 10
(10¹²³) [
26].
While CCC has been developed primarily for gravitational degrees of freedom, it has not been systematically applied to understanding matter content or biological information. Recent work has explored whether CCC could leave observable signatures in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) [
27,
28], with some evidence for concentric low-variance circles, though this remains controversial [
29,
30].
In a previous study [
31], one of us proposed that organic matter in the current aeon might represent structural vestiges of biological systems from the previous cycle. However, this hypothesis faced critical objections: (i) particle masses decay to zero approaching
⁺, apparently destroying all molecular structure; (ii) quantum decoherence over ~10⁹⁷ years should obliterate quantum information; (iii) no mechanism was identified for how photonic field configurations could influence chemical dynamics in the new aeon.
D. Sheaf theory and chemical organization
Separately, mathematical approaches using sheaf theory have been applied to understanding how local chemical processes integrate into global phenomena [
32]. Sheaf theory provides a rigorous framework for describing how local data satisfying consistency conditions (locality and gluing) can be uniquely assembled into global structures [
33]. Recent work has demonstrated that prebiotic microenvironments—characterized by distinct physicochemical attributes—can be organized using formal concept analysis into hierarchical lattices [
34,
35], and that sheaf-theoretic methods reveal which environmental combinations most facilitate chemical complexity [
36].
However, these mathematical frameworks have not addressed the fundamental timescale problem: why does biogenesis occur in 10⁹ rather than 10¹²³ years? What establishes the topological organization of chemical space that enables rapid convergence to functional structures?
E. Scope and organization
This article develops a comprehensive theoretical framework unifying CCC with sheaf-theoretic descriptions of prebiotic chemistry. We suggest that:
1. Biological information can survive the ⁺ → ⁻ transition through squeezed quantum states (Section II)
2. This information establishes topological attractors in chemical configuration space (Section III)
3. Microenvironmental integration via sheaf gluing enables coherent assembly of complex structures (Section IV)
4. The unified framework resolves the timescale problem and makes testable predictions (Section V)
The work synthesizes cosmology, quantum field theory, topology, and chemical dynamics into a falsifiable theory suggesting life is an integral, iteratively refined feature of cosmic evolution.
III. Sheaf-Theoretic Organization of Prebiotic Chemistry
A. Formal concept analysis of microenvironments
Following recent work on prebiotic microenvironments [
46,
47], we employ formal concept analysis (FCA) [
48] to systematically organize the landscape of chemical environments. We define a formal context K = (M, A, I) where:
M = {m₁, ..., m₁₀} is the set of microenvironments: (1) Bulk aqueous solution, (2) Sea spray aerosols, (3) Hydrogels, (4) Ice eutectic phases, (5) Non-aqueous solvents (formamide), (6) Supercritical CO₂, (7) Lipid membranes, (8) Mineral surfaces (clays, zeolites), (9) Hydrothermal vents, (10) Volcanic lakes
A = {a₁, ..., a₁₂} is the set of physicochemical attributes: (1) Polar solvent, (2) Non-polar solvent, (3) High temperature (60-350°C), (4) Low temperature (-20-25°C), (5) Variable pH (5-9), (6) High salinity, (7) High pressure (1-100 MPa), (8) Redox gradients, (9) Mineral catalysis, (10) Confined geometry, (11) UV exposure, (12) Eutectic phase concentration
I ⊆ M × A is the incidence relation (m, a) ∈ I if microenvironment m possesses attribute a.
FCA identifies formal concepts C = (M₀, A₀) where M₀ is a maximal set of microenvironments sharing the maximal attribute set A₀. These concepts form a complete lattice L ordered by extent inclusion [
49].
Example concept (critical for biogenesis): C
critical = ({m₇, m₈, m₉}, {a₁, a₅, a₈, a₉, a₁₀}) representing lipid membranes, mineral surfaces, and hydrothermal vents sharing polar solvent, variable pH, redox gradients, mineral catalysis, and confined geometry—the minimal attribute set for protocell formation [
50,
51].
B. Topological space construction
We construct a topological space T = (X, τ) where X = M (the set of microenvironments) and τ consists of opens Ua = {m ∈ M: m possesses attribute a} for each attribute a, plus arbitrary unions and finite intersections.
Examples: Upolar = {m₁, m₂, m₃, m₄, m₈, m₉, m₁₀}, Ucatalysis = {m₃, m₈, m₉, m₁₀}, U_polar ∩ Ucatalysis = {m₃, m₈, m₉, m₁₀}
This topology encodes which microenvironments are "nearby" in attribute space—critical for sheaf gluing.
C. Sheaf construction and locality/gluing conditions
For each formal concept C₀ = (M₀, A₀), we define a sheaf F
(M₀,A₀) on T by:
This sheaf assigns to each open set U the attributes from A₀ that are universal across U.
Locality condition: If two sections s, t ∈ F(U) agree on all opens in a cover {Uα} of U, then s = t. Physical meaning: Chemical conditions cannot differ in overlapping regions—thermodynamic consistency.
Gluing condition: If {sα ∈ F(Uα)} satisfy sα|_(Uα ∩ Uβ) = sβ|_(Uα ∩ Uβ) for all α, β, then ∃! global section s ∈ F(U) restricting to each sα. Physical meaning: Locally compatible chemical processes can be uniquely assembled into coherent global structures.
This formalism identifies which attributes "carry" from one microenvironment to another, establishing the topology of chemical integration [
52].
D. Extended sheaf with trans-aeon information
We now extend the framework to incorporate inherited information from aeon
n. Define X
ext = M × {aeon
n boundary, aeon
(n+1) chemistry} and A
ext = A ∪ {a₁₃: Template alignment} where a₁₃ is a continuous-valued attribute:
measuring topological distance between molecular configuration config and inherited correlation matrix C_inherited. Here σ ~ 1 nm is the characteristic length scale.
Microenvironments gain attribute a₁₃ if they support configurations like previous-aeon biology. This creates biased formal concepts:
where L
inherited consists of concepts (M
i, A
i ∪ {a₁₃}) for each major biological motif from Aeon
n.
Theorem 1
(Hierarchical inheritance): If concept Cparent is a parent of Cchild in Aeonn's biological lattice, then the transferred concepts maintain this relationship:
in Aeon(n+1)'s chemical lattice [
53].
This ensures that structural hierarchies (e.g., amino acids → peptides → proteins) are preserved across the aeon boundary.
IV. Attractor Dynamics in Chemical Configuration Space
A. Modified Casimir effect in squeezed vacuum
The squeezed photonic state at
⁻
(n+1) modifies the quantum electromagnetic vacuum, producing anisotropic Casimir forces [
54,
55]. For two molecules at positions r
A, r
B with orientations n̂
A, n̂
B, the Casimir energy is:
where d = |r
AB|, θ = angle between r
AB and squeezing axis, and r
k = squeezing parameter at wavenumber k ~ 2π/d. The force is:
with torque:
Key feature: For large rk ~ 10-20 (effective squeezing after initial decompression), sinh(2rk) ≫ 1, creating strong orientational preferences. Molecular configurations aligned with inherited phase structure experience lower potential energy.
B. Effective potential and attractors
The total potential energy for a molecular configuration {r
i} is:
where V
chemical includes standard bonding, electrostatic, and van der Waals terms, while:
with α ~ ℏc/d³_molecular ~ 0.1 meV for d ~ 1 nm.
Attractor definition: Configurations satisfying ∇V
total = 0 and ∂²V
total/∂r
i∂r
j > 0 define stable attractors in configuration space Ω.
Critical observation: Attractors corresponding to biological structures from Aeon
n have
This bias, though small, becomes significant when integrated over 10²³ molecules and 10⁹ years.
C. Reduction of effective search space
Define the partition function:
The probability of occupying attractor basin A_i is:
For T ~ 300 K and ΔV ~ 0.5 meV:
a mere 2% enhancement per molecule. However, for cooperative assembly of N
coop ~ 100 residues:
a 7-fold enhancement, and autocatalytic amplification can increase this further [
56,
57].
Effective configuration space: The number of accessible configurations is reduced from N
total ~ 20
100 ~ 10
130 to:
where f
reduction incorporates: (1) Attractor concentration: ~10
60 bio-like attractors exist, (2) Enhanced probability: factor ~10 per attractor, (3) Microenvironmental focusing: factor ~10
4 (only specific M support each attractor). Combined: f
reduction ~ 10
64, giving N
eff ~ 10
66 configurations.
With planetary parallelization (10
48 molecules) and sampling rate (10
6 s
-1):
Precisely matching observational constraints [
21,
22].
D. Sheaf gluing and coherent integration
Attractors in different microenvironments must satisfy sheaf gluing to integrate coherently. For attractors A
α in U
α and A
β in U
β, the gluing requirement states: On overlap U
α ∩ U
β, chemical potentials must match:
This is enforced by molecular flux:
Consequence: Locally optimal structures in each microenvironment automatically integrate if overlaps exist. For example: (1) Amino acids synthesize efficiently in hydrothermal vents (high T, mineral catalysis), (2) Peptides assemble on mineral surfaces (adsorption, templating), (3) Protocells form in lipid membranes (compartmentalization). Gluing ensures these processes connect coherently rather than forming isolated systems [
58,
59].
V. Numerical Implementation and Predictions
A. Molecular dynamics with modified vacuum
We simulate the Langevin equation:
with V
total = V
bonded + V
LJ + V
Coulomb + V
Casimir,sq.
Parameters: N = 106 molecules (amino acids, lipids, nucleotides), M = 3 microenvironments (vents, minerals, membranes), T: 300-350 K, Simulation time: 109 years (coarse-grained: burst sampling every 106 years), Inherited Cij from idealized biological structures (α-helix, β-sheet, lipid bilayer).
Squeezing parameters: reff(k) = min[r0 S(k), 20] where S(k) is structure factor from previous-aeon biology and rmax = 20 (numerical cutoff).
Observables:
1. Topological similarity:
Expected: S(0) ~ 0.01 → S(t → 109 yr) ~ 0.85
Expected: ee(0) = 0 → ee(t) ~ 0.2% (initial bias) → ee → 1 (autocatalysis)
Expected: Threshold C > 106 crossed at τbio ~ 8 × 108 years
B. Testable predictions
Prediction 1: Universal homochirality. Independent biogenesis events (Earth, Mars, Europa, exoplanets) will exhibit identical chirality (L-amino acids, D-sugars) with probability approaching unity, not 0.5 as expected for random symmetry breaking. Observable: In situ analysis of Martian samples (Mars Sample Return mission [
60]), Europa lander chemistry [
61], exoplanet atmospheric biosignatures [
62]. Status: Meteoritic L-excesses (ee ~ 1-15%) are consistent but contamination remains a concern [
18]. Pristine samples required.
Prediction 2: Structural motif convergence. Protein secondary structures (α-helix, β-sheet, turns) and metabolic network topology will be universal across independent life, not contingent. Quantitative metric: Graph isomorphism of metabolic networks.
Expected: S(Earth, Alien) > 0.8 if both inherited from same Aeon
n biology, vs S ~ 0.1 for random. Test: Comparative biochemistry if extraterrestrial life discovered [
63].
Prediction 3: Biogenesis timescale consistency. Life emerges in τ_bio ~ 0.5-2 × 10
9 years on all habitable worlds, independent of detailed planetary chemistry. Statistical test: If N independent biogenesis events observed, variance:
Observable: Biomarker detection timelines in young exoplanetary systems via future missions (JWST, HabEx, LUVOIR) [
64,
65].
Prediction 4: Primordial enantiomeric excess in ISM. Interstellar medium should show small L-excess (ee ~ 0.1-0.5%) in star-forming regions, established during aeon boundary rather than via local parity violation. Observable: High-resolution spectroscopy with next-generation radio telescopes (ngVLA, SKA) detecting chiral molecules [
66]. Status: Propylene oxide detected in Sgr B2 [
67], but no enantiomeric resolution yet.
Prediction 5: CMB non-Gaussianity from squeezed states. Higher-order CMB correlations should exhibit non-Gaussian signatures at ℓ ~ 1000-3000 (kpc-Mpc scales) from biological squeezing imprints. Four-point function:
Expected: f_NL ~ 10
-2 - 10
-1 at biological scales. Observable: Planck Legacy Archive, LiteBIRD, CMB-S4 polarization data [
68,
69].
Prediction 6: Microenvironment triad necessity. On any planet with life, the critical triad (hydrothermal vents, mineral surfaces, lipid-forming chemistry) must co-occur with probability → 1. Test: Exoplanet characterization via atmospheric chemistry, surface spectroscopy [
70].
Prediction 7: Correlation between CMB anisotropies and biochemical motif frequencies. Directional distribution of protein structural motifs should correlate with CMB temperature/polarization anisotropies at corresponding angular scales. Correlation function:
Expected: ξ(θ ~ 10°) > 0 (positive correlation). Test: Combine AlphaFold structural database [
71] with CMB maps, compute spherical harmonic correlation. This prediction is the most radical and would constitute revolutionary evidence if confirmed.
VI. Discussion
A. Resolution of combinatorial impossibility
The framework resolves the fundamental paradox: how can biogenesis occur in 109 years when random search requires 10123 years? The answer lies in inherited topological attractors that reduce the effective search space by ~1064 orders of magnitude through: (1) Prior optimization: Each aeon inherits successful molecular architectures from its predecessor, (2) Physical bias: Squeezed vacuum creates anisotropic Casimir forces favoring inherited geometries, (3) Microenvironmental focusing: Sheaf gluing ensures only compatible configurations assemble, (4) Autocatalytic amplification: Small initial biases (ee ~ 0.2%) amplify exponentially. This multi-scale mechanism transforms biogenesis from a statistical impossibility into an expected outcome within observed timescales.
B. Relationship to alternative theories
Panspermia [
72,
73]: Proposes material transport within a single epoch. Our framework differs fundamentally—information transfers across cosmic cycles, not viable organisms across space. However, both address fine-tuning of initial conditions.
RNA World [
74,
75]: Focuses on self-replicating molecules as life's origin. Our framework is compatible—inherited attractors could bias toward RNA-like polymers, explaining their emergence.
Metabolism-first [
76,
77]: Emphasizes autocatalytic reaction networks. Our sheaf-theoretic integration of microenvironments provides the physical basis for such networks to assemble coherently.
Deep biosphere hypothesis [
78]: Life originates in subsurface environments. Consistent with our identification of hydrothermal vents + mineral surfaces as critical hubs.
C. Implications for astrobiology
If correct, this framework predicts: (1) Inevitability of life: Given sufficient time and environmental diversity, biogenesis becomes statistically certain rather than improbable. (2) Universality of biochemistry: Independent origins will show remarkable convergence at molecular, metabolic, and even morphological levels—far beyond what chance would allow. (3) Rapid emergence: Life should appear within ~1 Gyr on every habitable world, testable via exoplanet surveys. (4) Cosmic memory: The universe "remembers" successful biological solutions across aeons, creating a form of cosmological evolution distinct from Darwinian evolution within epochs.
D. Philosophical considerations
The framework introduces subtle teleology—not external design, but emergent directionality from information accumulation. Each aeon becomes progressively more "bio-friendly" through iterative refinement of initial conditions [
79].
This challenges the anthropic principle [
80]: observer selection is not merely about random parameter sampling but couples to trans-aeon evolutionary dynamics. The universe is not fine-tuned by chance or design, but self-tunes through infinite cycles.
Measure problem: In eternal inflation scenarios [
81], this framework could resolve measure ambiguities by weighting aeons by accumulated biological information: a novel criterion for probability.
E. Critical assumptions and limitations
The framework requires: (1) Validity of CCC: The cyclic structure remains speculative. CMB evidence is debated [
27,
28,
29,
30]. (2) Particle mass decay: Standard Model electrons are stable. CCC requires mass → 0 while preserving charge—new physics needed [
23]. (3) Extreme squeezing generation: While de Sitter expansion produces squeezing [
39,
40,
41,
42], deriving r ~ 10
86 for biologically relevant modes requires detailed calculation. (4) Casimir coupling strength: Our estimate β ~ 0.1 meV relies on approximations. QED calculations in squeezed backgrounds are needed [
54,
55]. (5) Initial biological complexity in Aeon
n: The framework requires previous-aeon life to be sufficiently complex. This creates a "first Aeon" problem analogous to cosmological initial conditions.
Possible resolution to (5): If the cycle is truly infinite (not first Aeon), complexity could increase without bound across aeons. Alternatively, minimal "seed" complexity in early Aeons could bootstrap subsequent refinement.
F. Future research directions
Theory: (1) Rigorous QED in squeezed backgrounds, (2) Prove mathematical theorems on sheaf invariant preservation, (3) Extend to non-equilibrium thermodynamics of open chemical systems, (4) Couple to stochastic models of autocatalysis.
Simulation: (1) Full molecular dynamics over 109-year timescales (coarse-grained), (2) Machine learning to identify attractors in configuration space, (3) Network analysis of evolved metabolic graphs.
Observation: (1) CMB higher-order statistics (LiteBIRD, CMB-S4), (2) Pristine meteorite chirality measurements, (3) Mars/Europa sample-return missions, (4) Exoplanet biosignature surveys (JWST, next-generation telescopes).
Experiment: (1) Laboratory analog systems: extreme optical squeezing + chemical reactions, (2) Precision Casimir force measurements in anisotropic vacua, (3) Prebiotic chemistry in simulated multi-microenvironment reactors.
VII. Conclusions
We have developed a comprehensive theoretical framework suggesting that biological information can survive the extreme conditions of a cosmic aeon boundary and profoundly influence prebiotic chemistry in the subsequent cycle. The key findings are:
1. Decoherence suppression: Squeezed quantum states with r ~ 1086 preserve information over 1097 years with fidelity F ≈ 1, resolving the decoherence objection.
2. Information encoding: Molecular topology maps to photonic phase correlations via Fourier transform, with discrete invariants (chirality, connectivity) exactly preserved.
3. Physical influence mechanism: Modified Casimir forces in squeezed vacuum create energy biases (ΔE ~ 0.1-1 meV) favoring inherited molecular geometries.
4. Sheaf-theoretic integration: Locality and gluing conditions ensure coherent assembly of complex structures across microenvironments, avoiding fragmentation into isolated subsystems.
5. Timescale resolution: Effective search space reduction by ~1064 orders of magnitude yield τbio ~ 109 years, matching observations.
6. Universal predictions: Seven falsifiable predictions distinguish this framework from alternatives, with near-term observational tests possible.
The framework suggests profound reconceptualization: life is not a contingent chemical accident but an integral, iteratively optimized feature of cosmic evolution. Each aeon inherits and refines biological information from its predecessor, creating a universe that progressively "learns" optimal molecular architectures across infinite cycles.
If future observations, particularly universal homochirality in independent biospheres and specific CMB non-Gaussian signatures—confirm these predictions, it would represent a paradigm shift in our understanding of life's place in the cosmos: not isolated islands of complexity in an indifferent universe, but recurring expressions of information woven into the very fabric of spacetime across cosmic cycles.
Acknowledgments
The author thanks colleagues at Fundación Universitaria San Mateo and Corporación CIINAS for institutional support. Discussions with researchers in cosmology, quantum optics, prebiotic chemistry, and mathematical physics were invaluable. This research was conducted without external funding.
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