Selfreplication drives exponential growth in biological systems from "summary" of Complexity by Mitchell M. Waldrop
Selfreplication is the engine that powers the growth of biological systems. At its most basic level, selfreplication involves the creation of copies of an organism or entity, whether it be a single-celled bacterium or a complex multicellular organism. Each copy then has the potential to replicate itself in turn, leading to an exponential increase in the population. This exponential growth is driven by the inherent simplicity of selfreplication. The process of copying genetic information and producing new organisms is a relatively straightforward one, governed by the laws of chemistry and physics. As a result, selfreplication can occur rapidly and efficiently, allowing populations to grow at an exponential rate. In biological systems, this exponential growth can have far-reaching consequences. As populations expand, they can quickly outstrip the available resources, leading to competition for food,...
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