Origin of the Biosphere and Abiogenesis

Hydrothermal vents are openings in the ocean floor that release hot, mineral-rich fluids.

Black smokers, also known as black vent, are massive chimneys releasing extremely hot, black fluids rich in sulfide minerals.

White smokers are vents that release cooler fluids, typically white or pale in color.

Seeps are hydrothermal vents that release very cool, often weak fluids.

Panspermia is a hypothesis suggesting that life originated on another planet and was transported to Earth.

The region on, above, and below the Earth's surface where life exists. It encompasses all living organisms (biotic) and non-living components (abiotic).

A scientific hypothesis suggesting life originated from non-living matter. It has its roots in ancient Greek philosophical ideas.

A now-disproven theory that proposed living things could spontaneously arise from non-living substances.

A model proposed by Alexander Oparin in the 1900s suggesting that life could arise from simple, inorganic elements combining into more complex organic molecules.

Lamarck's theory that organisms develop traits based on their usage. For example, a giraffe's neck stretching to reach leaves.

Lamarck's idea that acquired characteristics are inherited. If a giraffe stretches its neck, its offspring would have longer necks, which is now known to be incorrect.

Darwin's concept that the environment plays a crucial role in shaping the features of species.

Darwin's concept, though coined by Herbert Spencer, that the most well-adapted organisms survive in the struggle for existence, passing on their advantageous traits to their offspring.

A period in the geological timescale with a significant lack of fossils, particularly during the Early Cambrian. It represents a gap in the fossil record, highlighting the ongoing challenge of reconstructing the early history of life.

A groundbreaking experiment conducted in 1953 that simulated the conditions of Earth's early atmosphere and hydrosphere. It aimed to demonstrate that abiotic synthesis of organic molecules is possible, and it successfully produced amino acids. This supported the theory of chemical evolution.

The initial step in the formation of life that involves the creation of organic molecules from inorganic matter. These organic molecules are the building blocks of life.

The transformation of lifeless matter into the first living organisms. This is a central concept in understanding the origin of life and its complexity.

The process of using heat and pressure to dissolve minerals from the Earth's interior, creating mineral-rich water that is then released through hydrothermal vents. This process is crucial for the formation of these unique ecosystems.

The hypothesis that life originated in the primordial soup, a warm, watery environment on early Earth that was rich in various organic molecules. This soup provided the essential ingredients for life to emerge.

The process of matter changing between different phases like liquid and gas. This is a critical concept in understanding the Miller-Urey experiment, where water was boiled and the gases formed were collected for analysis.