I’m proud to share that my new book Energy First is now published. It presents a new systems model: cooperation is not just behavior or kindness — it is the operating system of life.

At its heart, the book argues:

“Cooperation is not kindness. It is structure. It is the operating system of life – a seven-step helix that powers living systems from cells to societies.”

What you’ll find inside

• ⚡ Energy as the driver of all living systems.

• 🤝 Cooperation as structure, from cells + mitochondria to humans + teams to societies + global systems.

• 🔄 The TPOCo cycle, a seven-step helix that shows how pooled energy, aligned roles, and shared outcomes scale life forward.

• 🌍 Practical insights: how the same principle can guide science, teamwork, and everyday life.

Why this matters

Life runs on energy. Cooperation is how it gets it.
Once you see this structure, you can use it to explain why systems thrive or fail — from biology to human organizations, from AI alignment to global sustainability.

📖 Get the book on Amazon:

Energy First: Why Cooperation Powers Life from Cells to Societies (TPOCo Publishing Series Book 1) eBook : Lichtenberg, Heinz Peter: Amazon.com.au: Kindle Store

📝 Leave a review if you’ve read it — every review helps make the principle of cooperation more visible.
💬 Join the discussion here in the forum: share your thoughts, questions, or ideas about how cooperation shapes your world.

Thank you for being part of this journey. Together, we are turning on the lights on something that has always been there — the cooperative structure of life.

📄 Read the preprint here:
🔗 https://osf.io/preprints/osf/9a6ne_v2

🔍 Why a Preprint?
Wikipedia does not accept original research — and as many of you know, TPOCo is just that: an original interdisciplinary framework. To make this work visible, citable, and open for collaboration, we published the full paper as a preprint, complete with flowcharts, diagrams, and theoretical grounding.

💡 Core Insight (from the paper):

“Cooperation is the coordinated formation of a group, the joint effort to combine individual potential energy, gain a shared energy source, and structure the distribution of that energy among participants — working in specialized roles — enabling them to live, grow, reproduce, and repeat the process. No individual can achieve this alone.

This principle has operated for billions of years inside every cell of fungi, plants, and animals. It governs interactions between specialized cells within these organisms—and in some species, like ants, wolves, or humans—it also operates between organisms, extending into the complex, energy-sharing structures of human society today.”

🌐 New Visual Identity!
To support the paper and future outreach, we’ve also created the first TPOCo infographic blueprint — a minimalist pictogram showing how energy flows through cooperative systems. It’s modular, scalable, and will guide future visual storytelling across micro (cells), meso (teams), and macro (societies).

🧩 Stay tuned for future updates:

• Visual versions with ants, cells, and human teams

• Posts exploring organization, communication, specialization, and fairness

• Forum invites for feedback, ideas, and collaboration

🙌 Thank you to everyone who's followed along. This is just the beginning. TPOCo is a living framework — and your input is part of its evolution.

Our new Facebook page is a hub for sharing insights, updates, and thought-provoking content about The Principle of Collaboration and Cooperation (TPOCo). It’s a space where we can explore how energy sharing, teamwork, and sustainability shape the world around us.

🌟 What You’ll Find on Our Page:

• Visuals and infographics illustrating TPOCo principles.
• Real-world examples of collaboration and cooperation in action.
• Discussions on trending topics like energy sharing, sustainability, and systems thinking.
• Opportunities to engage, share your thoughts, and grow the TPOCo community.

🔗 Follow Us and be part of the conversation:
👉 Visit TPOCo on Facebook

Let’s build a thriving community centered on collaboration, cooperation, and shared energy. We look forward to connecting with you on Facebook!

🌍 Together, we thrive.

I am excited to share an important update regarding the CoActNet forums. To streamline our efforts and better serve our growing community, we have moved the CoActNet forums entirely to the new CoActNet website!

You can now find the CoActNet forum at the following address:
🔗 https://coactnet.org/community/

This move will allow us to focus our discussions and collaborations more effectively under the CoActNet platform, dedicated to building and innovating with the principles of collaboration and cooperation.

What Does This Mean for You?

• All CoActNet-related discussions, posts, and updates will now take place exclusively on the new CoActNet website.
• If you were following the CoActNet forums on TPOCo, please make sure to visit the new forum site to stay updated and participate in the discussions.
• We have updated the main menu on the TPOCo website to directly link to the CoActNet forums for easy access.

How Can You Stay Involved?

• Visit the new CoActNet forum at https://coactnet.org/community/ and log in with your existing credentials.
• Stay tuned for exciting updates, new projects, and discussions that will be exclusive to the CoActNet platform.
• If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to reach out via the contact form on the new CoActNet website.

We appreciate your support and look forward to your continued participation as we embark on this new chapter. Let’s continue building a vibrant community focused on cooperation and innovation!

Best regards,
Heinz Lichtenberg
Founder, TPOCo

• Running and Human Evolution: Discover how our bodies are naturally designed for endurance and long-distance movement, and how running ties into the Human Evolutionary Cage.
• My Running Journey: Learn about my experiences running half marathons since 1975, and how books like Born to Run and insights from Daniel Lieberman have shaped my understanding of running as a fundamental human ability.
• Training for a Marathon at 70: Follow my current training plan as I aim to complete my first full marathon, with a focus on health, sustainability, and the TPOCo principles.
• Connecting with the Running Community: From participating in Parkruns around the world to the camaraderie of running festivals, I’ll explore how running fosters community and connection, key elements of TPOCo.

I invite everyone to check out the new blog post Born to Run: Embracing the Natural Power of Running at 70 and join the conversation! Whether you’re an experienced runner or just starting, there’s something for everyone in this journey.

Let’s discuss how running, health, and the principles of TPOCo intersect in our lives. I’d love to hear your thoughts, experiences, and any questions you might have.

See you on the blog and in the comments!

Best regards,

Heinz

We’re excited to welcome you back to our forum. It’s been a while, and we’ve made some updates we’re thrilled to share with you. Here are a few highlights:

• Navigating the Complexities of Human Information Processing: Check out our latest post on TPOCo and Evolution. Link to Blog Post
• Key Discussion: Join the conversation in our popular thread on: Essential Energy as a Metaphor for Purpose in Life.
  Link to Thread

We’d love to hear from you! Please reintroduce yourself in our “Welcome Back” thread and let us know what topics you’re interested in.

Thank you for being a part of our community. Let’s grow this forum together!

Best,
Heinz / Forum Team]