How life emerged….
Emerging from Volcanoes, gases such as Ammonia, Methane, Water vapor, and Hydrogen were released into atmosphere. Earth started to cool. Early Earth Atmosphere
The gases condensed to form the seas of the Earth. Sea Formation
Formation of simple organic molecules. This transformation from inorganic molecules to organic molecules needed an input of energy. These forms of energy were UV light, Heat, Radioactivity, and Lightning. We had our simple monomers for the macromolecules. Simple Organic molecules
Through the process of dehydration synthesis, the monomers combined into many different forms of polymers. The RNA World hypothesis states that RNA was the first nucleic acid because it has the ability to self-replicate through it’s own catalysis. Polymers appeared
These were the first cells. Formed in a manner analogous to the micelle formation of hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions. Unable to reproduce, but could carry out chemical reactions and have permeable membranes. Protobionts appeared
First cells were anaerobic…no oxygen around. They consumed organic molecules through fermentation (anaerobic cellular respiration—think beer). Therefore, there was a build up of CO 2 The stage was set for Photosynthesis! Heterotrophic Prokaryotes
Photosynthesis started to happen. Oxygen started to build-up in the atmosphere. The oxygen interacts with UV light to produce ozone. The ozone layer built up. Our story is just beginning…. Autotrophs were born!