# life (biological)

a state where matter persists through time and uses energy to maintain its pattern despite change

- Computed level: L15 (depth in the emergence graph, not abstraction)
- Status: review  ·  Domain: emergence  ·  Arena: life

## Emergence
**Emerges from:** [matter](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-matter.substance), [energy](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-energy.capacity), [pattern](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-pattern.regularity), [change](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-change.process), [keep](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-keep.maintenance), [persist](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-persist.continue), [state](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-state.condition), [time](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-time.dimension), [use](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-use.application), [maintenance](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-maintenance.upkeep)

**Through:** matter, energy, and pattern interact over time, with energy being used to maintain the pattern through change, allowing the system to persist in a stable condition

**Novel properties:**
- self-sustained stability
- dynamic equilibrium
- persistence through regulated change

## Examples
- The bacterium Escherichia coli reproduces every 20 minutes in the human gut, consuming nutrients to sustain its structure and function. *(biology)*
- The Sun’s core fuses hydrogen into helium, maintaining plasma confinement through gravity and pressure for billions of years. *(physics)*
- The International Space Station recycles water and filters air to sustain crew life in low Earth orbit since 1998. *(engineering)*

## Used by
- [biological](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-biological.life) (L16)
- [bush](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-bush.plant) (L16)
- [cell](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-cell.biological) (L16)
- [death](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-death.biological) (L16)
- [human](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-human.person) (L16)

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*Canonical: https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-life.biological*  
*Structured data: https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-life.biological.json*  
*Every definition provably resolves to space, time, energy and pattern.*