Life as Imperfect Coherence: Evidence from Human and Plant Cells

Life is usually described phenomenologically as the continuous consumption of energy, without a precise physical definition. Here we propose and test a new framework: life as a state of imperfect coherence with a universal frequency (the Gluvić constant, Ω ≈ 31 nHz). Using Hilbert phase analysis of human HL60 cells and plant oscillatory signals, we show that ATP consumption maintains finite phase diffusion and oscillatory richness. When ATP production is inhibited, phase diffusion increases by two orders of magnitude, leading to rigid alignment and collapse — the physical fingerprint of death. This principle generalizes across kingdoms of life, suggesting that life is sustained by the energetic cost of avoiding perfect lock. The results provide a quantitative physical definition of life and connect cellular physiology with universal resonance.