The image depicts a pixelated design on a grid, forming two large square shapes side by side. Each square has a red border and contains a pattern of colored squares within. The colors used are red, blue, light blue, black, yellow, green, pink, and white.

In this computer simulation of a self-replicating structure, the pink square represents the signal to degrade the connection between the “parent” structure (left) and its “offspring” (right). This degradation is an example of a beneficial instability in biological structures. (Image: Courtesy of John Tower.)

A new ‘rule of biology’ may have come to light, expanding insight into evolution and aging

Living things usually prefer stability to conserve energy and resources, but instability might also play a vital role, says USC Dornsife molecular biologist John Tower.

ByDarrin S. Joy May 16, 2024

A molecular biologist at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences may have found a new “rule of biology.”

A rule of biology, sometimes called a biological law, describes a recognized pattern or truism among living organisms. Allen’s rule, for example, states that among warm-blooded animals, those found in colder areas have shorter, thicker limbs (to conserve body heat) than those in hotter regions, which need more body surface area to dissipate heat.

Zoologist Joel Allen formulated this idea in 1877, and though he wasn’t the first or the last to present a rule of biology, his is one of just a handful to gain acceptance among scientists.

Now, John Tower, professor of biological sciences at USC Dornsife, believes he has uncovered another rule of biology. He published his idea on May 16 in the journal Frontiers in Aging.