Physical Architecture of Living Systems: Nested Viability Windows from Galactic Scales to the Physics–Chemistry Interface

Abstract

This manuscript develops a physical architecture for studying living systems as constrained states of matter and energy embedded within nested environmental domains. The framework examines how physical boundary conditions progressively restrict accessible state space from cosmological and galactic scales through planetary geophysics to the physics–chemistry and chemistry–biology transitions. Central to the framework is the classification of constraints as necessary, probability-shifting, generative, or unsupported. Matter, energy, density and phase contrasts, water, atmospheric pressure, gravity, temperature, radiation, electrochemical organization, geological cycling, temporal stability, and nested physical environments are treated as interacting viability conditions rather than isolated causes. The Galactic Gravitational Life-Belt (GGLB) is incorporated as an upstream probability-shifting filter, while dark matter and dark energy are treated with explicit epistemic caution. Dark matter is considered only as a possible indirect contributor to galactic dynamical environments, and no direct biological role is claimed. Dark energy remains outside the core causal chain. Nested viability windows are expressed quantitatively as intersections of bounded physical intervals over sufficient durations. The primary focus remains the physics-to-chemistry and chemistry-to-biology boundaries, with measurable predictions and falsification conditions stated for the major proposed links. This is a theoretical exploratory framework. No experimental confirmation is claimed for the original hypotheses.