DOI
10.1073/pnas.1807890115

Summary
This paper arises from the concept that biological systems reach such a hierarchical complexity that has no counterpart outside the realm of biology. The main question of this study is “Can today’s physics provide an explanatory framework for understanding the evolution of biological complexity?” the authors argue that the physical foundation for understanding the origin and evolution of complexity can be gleaned at the interface between different theories such as the theory of frustrated states and that of self-organized criticality (SOC)

Relevance for Complex Systems Knowledge
In this study the authors propose a general conceptual framework in order to explain the physical foundations of biological complexity. This study deals with biological systems and their complexity that has no counterpart outside the realm of biology.

Point of Strength
This study presents a strong theoretical framework. Furthermore, it deals with the fact that the complexity found in biology is far higher than that in physic - chemical paradigms and cannot be reduced reduced to the interplay of physic or chemical variables.