Introduction

Abstract

In the mid- to late-twentieth century, the fields of both bioenergetics and evolutionary biology were roiled by controversy. In the former, the chemiosmotic hypothesis led to the nearly two-decade “oxphos wars.” Meanwhile, the latter underwent a contentious examination of how natural selection could and could not produce cooperation and complexity, particularly throughout the history of life. Remarkably, chemiosmosis can potentiate such evolutionary cooperation. Chemiosmosis functions like a poorly insulated wire. When supply exceeds demand, electrons can be cast off, typically forming potentially dangerous reactive oxygen species. Sharing products with cooperative partners mitigates these risks. Chemiosmotic cells and organisms may thus be predisposed to form groups with partners that absorb excess products. Metabolism can lead to groups, groups can lead to cooperation, and cooperation can lead to complexity. Much of the natural world may be explained by the simple principle, “follow the electrons.”