Physics of Living Systems

Physics of Living Systems

eLife reviews research in which approaches from the physical sciences are used to provide insights into the properties of biological systems and processes. Learn more about what we review and sign up for the latest research.
Illustration by Davide Bonazzi

Latest articles

    1. Physics of Living Systems

    Toward stable replication of genomic information in pools of RNA molecules

    Ludwig Burger, Ulrich Gerland
    Theoretical and computational analyses reveal environmental, compositional, kinetic, and thermodynamic constraints on a scenario where sequence information collectively stored in pools of RNA molecules is replicated via non-enzymatic RNA ligation.
    1. Neuroscience
    2. Physics of Living Systems

    A stretching mechanism evokes mechano-electrical transduction in auditory chordotonal neurons

    Atitheb Chaiyasitdhi, Manuela Nowotny ... Benjamin Warren
    Not revised
    Reviewed Preprint v1
    • Valuable
    • Convincing
    • Incomplete
    1. Physics of Living Systems

    The evolution of interdisciplinarity and internationalization in scientific journals

    Huaxia Zhou, Luís A Nunes Amaral
    Revised
    Reviewed Preprint v2
    Updated
    • Important
    • Convincing
    1. Physics of Living Systems

    Postural adaptations may contribute to the unique locomotor energetics seen in hopping kangaroos

    Lauren H Thornton, Taylor JM Dick ... Christofer J Clemente
    Revised
    Reviewed Preprint v2
    Updated
    • Valuable
    • Convincing
    1. Physics of Living Systems

    Microbiomes Through the Looking Glass: Linking Species Interactions to Dysbiosis through a Disordered Lotka-Volterra Framework

    Jacopo Pasqualini, Amos Maritan ... Samir Suweis
    Revised
    Reviewed Preprint v2
    Updated
    • Important
    • Compelling
    1. Ecology
    2. Physics of Living Systems

    The dominant–egalitarian transition in species-rich communities

    David A Kessler, Nadav M Shnerb
    A model of a species-rich neutral ecosystem, perturbed by environmental noise impacting each species differently, predicts that for large noise the community is dominated by a few species, while for weaker noise it is more egalitarian, with many significant species.
    1. Physics of Living Systems

    The Matthew effect and early-career setbacks in research funding—a replication study

    Vincent Traag, Emer Brady ... Carter Bloch
    Not revised
    Reviewed Preprint v1
    • Important
    • Convincing
    1. Physics of Living Systems

    Fragmentation and aggregation of cyanobacterial colonies

    Yuri Z Sinzato, Robert Uittenbogaard ... Maziyar Jalaal
    Revised
    Reviewed Preprint v2
    Updated
    • Important
    • Solid
    1. Neuroscience
    2. Physics of Living Systems

    A Deep Learning Pipeline for Mapping in situ Network-level Neurovascular Coupling in Multi-photon Fluorescence Microscopy

    Matthew Rozak, James Mester ... Bojana Stefanovic
    Revised
    Reviewed Preprint v4
    Updated
    • Valuable
    • Solid

Senior editors

  1. Felix Campelo
    Pompeu Fabra University, Spain
  2. Aleksandra Walczak
    Ecole Normale Superieure, France
  3. See more editors