In the Beginning, There Was Computation.

This article examines the origins of life on Earth and the connection between life and computation. It explores various theories of abiogenesis, such as the RNA world and metabolism first hypotheses, and discusses major evolutionary transitions where simpler replicating entities become interdependent to form more complex replicators. The article also delves into the relationship between computers and brains, with Alan Turing and John von Neumann contributing to the understanding of computation and its parallels with biological systems. The author conducted experiments using the Brainfuck programming language to simulate the emergence of life through computation, showing that complexity and purposefulness increased as replicators interacted, similar to organic life. The article concludes by discussing the role of symbiosis and ecology in the evolution of life and suggests that technology is a recent evolutionary layer that is not separate from nature or biology. [Extracted from the article]