First Notes

Earth and Life
Science Evolving Concept of Life

Module 1 Lesson 1
We exist in a universe so vast that we have only started to explore it. In the present, we only
know of one planet that is inhabited by life—Earth. But how did life come to Earth? It is implicated
that we evolved from a common ancestor that existed billion years ago, which is supported by the
similarities in terms of biochemical, genetic, and metabolic similarities among Earth’s species.
What conditions of the ancient Earth allowed such life to start, prosper, and diversify?
Could this be possible on other planets? These are among the questions tackled by astrobiologists.
To determine the range of condition that can support life, astrobiologists observe Earth’s extreme
habitats. They have found out that some species are able to withstand extreme levels of temperature,
pH, salinity, and pressure.
Biology is a science that deals with all forms of life, including their classification,
physiology, chemistry, and interactions. The term was introduced in Germany in 1800 and
popularized by the French naturalist Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck as a means of encompassing the
growing number of disciplines involved with the study of living forms.
Where did life begin?

Theories:
Theory of Special creation, in accordance with the Book of Genesis, that every species was
individually created by God in the form in which it exists today and is not capable of
undergoing any change.
Cosmozoic Theory (Panspermia Theory) – the idea proposed by Richter in 1865 and supported
by
Arrhenius (1908). According to this theory, life has reached the planet Earth from other
heavenly bodies such as meteorites, in the form of highly resistant spores of some
microorganisms. The spores of some microorganisms are called cosmozoa or panspermia
because they are preserved inside meteorites coming to the earth from the outer space.
These meteorites struck the barren earth to release the cosmozoa and they developed into
different creatures on the earth.
Theory of Spontaneous Generation also known as Abiogenesis, the idea that life arose from
nonlife more than 3.5 billion years ago on Earth. Abiogenesis proposes that the first life-forms
generated were very simple and through a gradual process became increasingly complex.
Biogenesis Theory, life is derived from the reproduction of other life, was presumably preceded by
abiogenesis, which became impossible once Earth’s atmosphere assumed its present composition.
Primordial Soup Theory

 According to primordial soup theory proposed by Alexander Oparin and John Haldane, life
started in a primordial soup of organic molecules.
 Some form of energy from lightning combined with the chemicals in the atmosphere to make
the building blocks of protein known as the amino acids.
Coacervate theory, it is expressed by the Russian biochemist A.I. Oparin in 1936 suggesting that
the origin of life was preceded by the formation of mixed colloidal units called coacervates. These are
particles composed of two or more colloids which might be protein, lipid or nucleic acid. He proposed
that while these molecules were not living, they behaved like biological systems in the ancient seas.
They were subject to natural selection in terms of constant size and chemical properties, there was a
selective accumulation of material and they reproduced by fragmentation.
Miller-Urey hypothesis. The first hypothesis where lightning could have operated the synthesis
reactions in the Earth’s early atmosphere was tested by in 1953. It provided the first evidence that
organic molecules needed for life could be formed from inorganic components. Some scientists
support the RNA world hypothesis, which suggests that the first life was self-replicating RNA.
Fossil Evidence
 Fossil evidence indicates that life on Earth appeared about 3.5 billion years ago in the oceans
 Provided protection from Ultraviolet (UV) rays
 Allowed multidirectional movement
 Served as a medium for essential chemical reactions.
 Anaerobic prokaryotes
Early forms of life

 The first forms of life are believed to have appeared some 3.5 billion years ago.
 Photosynthetic organisms are organisms who make their own food by utilizing the energy
from the sun and the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The process of photosynthesis
produced more oxygen that changed the Earth’s early atmosphere, allowed oxygen-breathing
organisms to exist.
 Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) are the first photosynthetic organisms to form.
The Early Life

The formation of planets did not use up all the materials orbiting the sun, so the early Earth
received shower of meteorites and was struck by many asteroids. These extraterrestrial materials
and the recurring volcanic eruptions paved the way for the formation of Earth’s land, seas, and
atmosphere.
It is still a matter of discussion, but geological evidence suggests that the early Earth began
with little or no free Oxygen (O 2)—had O2 been present iron oxidation (rust formation) in most ancient
rocks would have been observed, but no such sign of oxidation was found. Had O 2 been present,
small organic compounds would have broken apart as quickly as they formed due oxidation
reactions.
We know that water is essential to life because molecules that are parts of life-sustaining
processes would have to be dissolved in water. The Earth’s lithosphere did not exist then, but it was
covered by molted rock, hence water was in the form of vapor. But as evidence from ancient rocks
suggests, Earth had cooled down 4.3 billion years ago causing pools of water to arise.
Organic Monomers
Chemists thought that organic molecules were only made by living organisms and it
possessed a special vital force. But in the early 1900, a chemist was able to make urea the organic
molecule found in urine. Then another was able to synthesized and amino acid called alanine. The
synthesis of these molecules showed the possibility that organic molecules can be formed
synthetically.
In the present, there are three (3) main hypotheses that explain the mechanism on how the
organic monomers came about in early Earth. These mechanisms are not mutually exclusive and
might have set off simultaneously contributing to the formation of the simple organic compounds in
Earth’s early seas—where early life could have started.
Extraterrestrial Materials
At present, meteorites that fall to Earth are often analyzed and was found out that some
contains amino acids, sugars, and nucleotide bases. These compounds (or their precursors) have
been found in gas clouds that surrounds nearby star. Thus, the third hypothesis—that early life may
have been brought about by the extraterrestrial materials that fell on the early Earth received—was
created. This hypothesis suggests that materials from space carried with them organic monomers
that were formed from outer space.

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First Notes

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Earth and Life

Science Evolving Concept of Life

Where did life begin?

Primordial Soup Theory

Early forms of life

The Early Life

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