Biological Evolution: Writing, Rewriting and Breaking the Program of Life

Explore a 41-minute conference talk from the Chaos Communication Congress (38C3) that delves into the fascinating world of biological evolution and its parallels with programming. Learn how evolution acts as a natural hacker, repurposing existing genetic programs to create new functions and structures over billions of years. Discover computational research modeling the transition from single-celled organisms to complex multicellular life, examining how cellular programs are rewritten to enable cooperative survival strategies and specialization. Gain insights into evolution's efficient problem-solving methods compared to modern AI systems, using examples like the repurposing of feathers in dinosaurs and proteins in eye lenses. Understand how studying these evolutionary processes contributes to current debates about AI's creative capabilities while revealing the remarkable efficiency of biological innovation.