Abiogenesis: Tetrasignature Hypothesis
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: A physical hypothesis of abiogenesis is proposed, in which the phase topology of water is the primary carrier of structural memory. External influences (including thermal, electrical, light, and weak magnetic fields) leave tetrasignatures — metastable redistributions of the α/β-tetrostates of water molecules that create a physical relief of free energy and direct the orientation and binding of inorganic and organic molecules. Tetrasignatures trigger condensate cycles, which are autocatalytic positive feedback processes in which ordered water stabilizes adsorbed molecules, which in turn enhance the orderliness of water. The result of condensate cycles is the appearance of the first transitional substances, supramolecular ensembles (SMA) of small inorganic molecules with structural memory, catalytic activity, and evolutionary plasticity. The hypothesis allows for a multiplicity of realizations of the first transitional substances (peptide, nucleotide, hybrid, alternative polymer ensembles), which corresponds to the principle of polyphyletic origin of life. A new element is the direct coupling of the hypothesis with an experimentally confirmed fact: quantum spin effects (the mechanism of radical pairs) regulate vertebrate physiology (pigmentation) through light-sensitive proteins. This proves that quantum states are not "averaged" at the macro level, but can serve as a reliable physical mechanism for the formation of tetrasignatures and the maintenance of non-equilibrium ensembles. The proposed scenario solves the key problems of abiogenesis: reactant concentration, directional ordering, polymerization, heredity, homochirality, compartmentalization, and stability against hydrolysis. The article contains operational experimental predictions, including new magnetobiological tests, and open questions for further research.
Author: Лагода, Владимир
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7170066491
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