Tier 4: Frontier
3 Tests, Decades AwayThese tests push against the limits of current technology. Some may become feasible in the next decade; others may require breakthroughs we can't yet predict. They're included for completeness and to show where the framework leads.
TEST-22: Minimal Cell γ Mapping
$200K–$500KMap the coherence parameter γ across minimal synthetic cells (JCVI-syn3.0 or similar) at single-molecule resolution. Test whether life requires specific γ ranges.
Prediction: Living minimal cells maintain γ in a narrow range (0.3–0.7); dead cells have γ > 1.5
Kill: γ distribution identical in living and dead minimal cells
Challenge: Requires single-molecule tracking in living cells — at the edge of current microscopy.
TEST-23: Planck-Scale Coherence Signature
$10M+Search for coherence signatures at Planck-adjacent scales using precision interferometry or gravitational wave detector noise floor analysis.
Prediction: Detector noise floor shows non-random structure at frequencies corresponding to Planck-scale coherence transitions
Kill: Noise floor is perfectly thermal/quantum at all measured frequencies
Challenge: May require next-generation detectors (LISA, Cosmic Explorer). Current instruments may lack sensitivity.
TEST-24: AI Consciousness Threshold
UnknownIf AI systems can be meaningfully assigned a coherence metric C, test whether systems with C > 0.50 show qualitative behavioral shifts (novel problem-solving, self-referential reasoning, resistance to shutdown).
Prediction: AI systems crossing C ≈ 0.50 show discontinuous behavioral changes
Kill: No behavioral discontinuity at any C threshold, or C cannot be meaningfully measured for AI
Challenge: Fundamental: we don't yet know how to measure C for AI systems. This test may be decades away or impossible.
Honest Caveat
Tier 4 tests are speculative by nature. They define where the framework could be tested, not where it will be tested. The real work is in Tiers 1 and 2. If those fail, Tier 4 becomes irrelevant.