Understatement? Physicist Finds "Cognitive Awareness," as a Product of Evolution, "Almost Surprising"

Dartmouth theoretical physicist Marcelo Gleiser has an interesting commentary up at NPR ("Moving from Creation of the Cosmos to Human Life"). He offers the distinction between four separate epic "ages" of cosmic evolution. While these are not firmly bounded and separate from each other, it's still a neat way of conceptualizing what went to into the production of intelligent, conscious carbon-based life forms.

The first age is the "physical," followed by the "chemical," the "biological," and...