Although it's a small point, I'd point out I do think there is an important and clear difference between consciousness and life. Also, I don't think chemistry, that is to say the behaviours of nucleons and electrons, is necessary for / synonymous with consciousness; all that is required is an embodiment of a 'conscious algorithm'. For example, it could be embodied in a complex system of photons and mirrors, which isn't really chemistry (or Chinese people with mobile phones, using the famous philosophy of mind thought experiment); or, taking a more fanciful example, any other kind of universe in the hypothetical multiverse where such a system can emerge from any kind of process, which may bear very little resemblance to chemistry. Or indeed, if such a thing can exist, a universe which simply consists of the algorithm.