The History of Life on Earth
Space-time 13.7bya: Universe (Microwave Background Radiation) 4.6bya: Sun & Earth (Zircon)
Hadean Eon (4.6-3.9bya) Physics: free energy Chemistry: inorganic molecules (anaerobic)
Archean Eon (3.9-2.5bya) Physics: free energy Chemistry: inorganic molecules (H2O) Biology #1: prokaryotic life (3.9bya) Simplest Life: Macromolecules Cell Replicate
Archean Eon (3.9-2.5bya) Primordial Soup Hypothesis Miller & Urey: synthesized 20 amino acid monomers Sutherland: synthesized 2 RNA nucleotide monomers Hanczyc: synthesized lipid cells/replication events
Archean Eon (3.9-2.5bya) Other Abiogenesis Models Exogenesis Hypothesis Clay Hypothesis Radioactive Beach Hypothesis Thermodynamic Dissipation Hypothesis Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Hypothesis…
Archean Eon (3.9-2.5bya) Biology #2: photosynthesis (2.7bya)
Proterozoic Eon (2.5-.5bya) Biology #3: eukaryotic life (2.1bya) Endosymbiosis Theory: Mitochondria & Chloroplasts Contain own DNA Small circular Double membrane Replicate independently Binary fission Cell doesn’t make them
Phanerozoic Eon (.5-0bya) Biology #4: multicellular life (.575bya) Protists Plants, Fungi, & Animals
Phanerozoic Eon (.5-0bya) Biology #5: colonizing land (.5bya)
Phanerozoic Eon (now)
Phanerozoic Eon Diversification-Extinction-Diversification-Extinction…
3 of 5 Mass Extinctions 450 mya 250 mya 65 mya 90% 96% 75%
6th Mass Extinction Currently, 100-1000x normal extinction rate
7th Extinction https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpmXyJrs7iU