18 Questions
What is believed to have fueled the reactions that formed organic compounds on early Earth?
Lightning, sunlight, or heat from hydrothermal vents
What kind of cells are indicated by fossils to be the first cells on Earth?
Prokaryotes
What is the primary source of energy for anaerobic pathways?
Simple organic compounds and mineral ions
Where did the first complex biological molecules form according to one hypothesis?
Near hydrothermal vents
When did cyanobacteria populations increase, leading to an increase in oxygen levels?
2.7 billion years ago
What was the function of the clay in the tidal flats according to one hypothesis?
It bound and protected the newly forming polymers
What is the primary characteristic of eukaryotes?
Presence of organelles
What is the name of the scientist who first tested the hypothesis that simple compounds can form by chemical processes?
Stanley Miller
What is a possible source of simple organic compounds according to research?
All of the above
What is the term for the process by which cells evolved into mitochondria, chloroplasts, and other organelles?
Endosymbiosis
What is the age of the oldest known eukaryotic fossil?
2.1 billion years old
What is the name of the red alga that lived 1.2 billion years ago?
Bangiomorpha pubescens
What is a characteristic of a mitochondrion's DNA?
It has just a few genes
During which era did life begin to form on dry land?
Paleozoic Era
What percentage of life in the ocean disappeared at the end of the Paleozoic Era?
95%
In which era did mammals evolve adaptations to live in various environments?
Cenozoic Era
What is a characteristic of the inner membrane of a mitochondrion?
It resembles a bacterial cell's plasma membrane
What occurred at the end of the Mesozoic Era?
A mass extinction event that wiped out over 50% of all plant and animal groups
Learn about the formation of organic compounds on early Earth, the energy required for synthesis, and the role of lightning, sunlight, and hydrothermal vents. Explore the experiment of Stanley Miller and the hypothesis of abiotic synthesis.
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