GoKawiilPhysicists Revisit 'Cosmological Natural Selection' Theory After JWST Findings
A small group of theoretical physicists is reviving the decades-old idea that universes might evolve much like living organisms, selecting for traits that allow them to reproduce through black holes. The concept gained fresh attention after a 2022 James Webb Space Telescope discovery and a widely shared Substack essay reignited debate over whether Darwinian logic can apply beyond biology. Supporters argue that just as natural selection explains complexity in life, a similar process could explain the physical constants and structure of our cosmos.
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If evolutionary principles genuinely extend to cosmology, it would suggest a mechanism for why the universe's physical laws appear so finely tuned for complexity, without invoking chance or design. This remains a fringe hypothesis, but renewed interest signals how ideas from biology continue to influence fundamental physics and public science discourse.
- The theory of cosmological natural selection suggests universes could evolve like living organisms.
- A 2022 James Webb Space Telescope finding and a popular Substack post renewed interest in the idea.
- The concept remains speculative but reflects evolution's growing influence outside biology, including in physics and neuroscience.
Daniel Dennett "Darwin's Dangerous Idea — The article opens with Dennett's claim that evolution is the best idea anyone ever had, and this is the book where he makes that case in full. It's a sweeping, argumentative read that connects natural selection to everything from biology to philosophy of mind—perfect background for anyone intrigued by the idea of universes evolving like organisms.
See Daniel Dennett "Darwin's Dangerous Idea on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: smithsonianmag.com — Eli Stark-Elster, 2026-09-02
Published there as: “Earth's organisms developed via evolution. What if the cosmos did, too?”
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