Autocatalytic Sets & RAF Theory

Reflexively autocatalytic, food-generated (RAF) sets are Kauffman's model for the origin of life. Each molecule's synthesis is catalyzed by another set member, creating self-sustaining chemical networks that emerge spontaneously above a complexity threshold.

No
RAF found
0
RAF size
0.00
P(RAF) theory
0
Catalytic links

Controls

Theory

RAF set R ⊆ reactions:
1. Reflexively autocatalytic:
each r ∈ R catalyzed
by some m ∈ R∪F
2. Food-generated:
reactants from F∪{products}

Kauffman threshold:
P(RAF) → 1 when
p·N > ln(N) (percolation)

minRAF is unique