lifeones

Lifeones is a term used in theoretical biology and speculative discussions to describe hypothetical minimal living units. Unlike defined organisms, lifeones are not a formal clade or taxon; the concept serves as a thought experiment for exploring the lower bounds of life and the transition from chemistry to biology.

Typically, lifeones are imagined as self-sustaining systems possessing at least three features: a boundary that separates internal chemistry from the environment (such as a membrane), an internal metabolism, and a heritable information system that enables replication. Some definitions emphasize metabolism as essential, while others prioritize heredity as a defining criterion. In any case, lifeones are intended to be capable of growth and reproduction, rather than mere chemical cycles.

Researchers sometimes categorize lifeones into variants such as metabolic lifeones, focused on energy-converting networks, and replicative lifeones, where information transfer governs reproduction. In debates about the origins of life, lifeones are used as a minimalist ideal to compare protocell models, minimal cells, and synthetic biology approaches, including discussions of synthetic genomes and cell-like compartments.

In science fiction and educational contexts, the term appears as a shorthand for exploring how simple systems could become living and how complex life might arise from simple components. The term has not achieved broad consensus or formal criteria and is chiefly employed as a heuristic rather than a standardized taxon or unit of analysis.

See also: protocell, minimal cell, abiogenesis, synthetic biology.