The Big Bang theory of the formation of the universe

• All material in the universe was created in a huge

"explosion," creating and defining matter and space.

• The sudden cooling of the superheated ejecta facilitated

the combination of atomic components into atoms and
molecules.

• These clouds of gasses eventually cooled and formed the

principle components of galaxies - including stars and
planets.
Formation of the solar system
A. The earth formed approximately 4.6 BYA (billion
years ago.) Initially, there was a cloud of gasses
and dust particles, possibly originating from the
ejected particles of a nearby supernova.
B. The cloud gradually contracted and flattened,
concentrating about 99% of its mass in the center
with the rest rotating counterclockwise in a
flattened disk.
C. As the disk rotated, turbulence was created,
causing condensation of the disk into small,
turbular eddies. These gradually accreted
together to form protoplanets.
D. These protoplanets further accreted, creating the
mature planets of the solar system.
 Origin of life
Oparin-Haldane hypothesis: methane
(CH4)
• The atmosphere of the early Earth may have been ozone (O3)
ammonia
either rare
chemically reducing in nature, composed primarily of (NH3)
or absent.

gases shown.

• In such a reducing atmosphere, electrical activity can molecular

water
oxygen
(H2O)
catalyze the creation of certain basic small molecules (O2)
Atmo-
(monomers) of life, such as amino acids. sphere
• This was demonstrated in the Miller–Urey experiment by
phosphate hydrogen
Stanley L. Miller and Harold C. Urey in 1953. (PO43-) sulfide
(H2S)

• These organics, accumulated in the surface waters of the

carbon carbon
ocean, forming a "primordial soup", out of which, in monoxide dioxide
(CO) (CO2)
time, life in its most elementary form emerged.
 Oparin-Haldane model
The steps of the Oparin-Haldane model are described below.
1) Organic molecules including amino acids and nucleotides are synthesized
abiotically (without living cells).
2) Organic building blocks in the prebiotic soup are assembled into polymers of
proteins and nucleic acids.
3) Biological polymers are assembled into a self-replicating organism that fed on the
existing organic molecules.
 Miller-Urey Experiment
• Miller-Urey apparatus
• Conducted in 1953 by Stanley Miller under the
supervision of Harold Urey;
• The first experiment to test the Oparin-Haldane
theory about the evolution of prebiotic
chemicals and the origin of life on Earth.
The conditions were:
1.Electrical energy provided by spark discharge.
2.Ambient temperature between 0 and 100 C.
3.Sterile conditions to begin with (abiotic environment).
4.A gaseous phase containing reduced sources of carbon (methane), nitrogen (ammonia), oxygen
atoms (water), and hydrogen atoms from any or all of these precursors as well as hydrogen gas.
 Miller-Urey Experiment
1. A mixture of methane, ammonia, hydrogen, and water vapor, to simulate the version
Apparatus used in the Miller-Urey
of Earth's primitive, reducing atmosphere, was introduced into a 5-liter flask and experiment

energized by an electrical discharge apparatus to represent ultraviolet radiation from

the Sun.

2. The products were allowed to condense and collect in a lower flask which modeled a
body of water on the Earth's surface.

3. Heat supplied to this flask recycled the water vapor just as water evaporates from lakes
and seas, before moving into the atmosphere and condensing again as rain.

4. After a day of continuous operation, Miller and Urey found a thin layer of
hydrocarbons on the surface of the water.

5. After about a week of operation, a dark brown scum had collected in the lower flask
and was found to contain several types of amino acids, including glycine and alanine,
together with sugars, tars, and various other unidentified organic chemicals.
 Biogenesis vs. Abiogenesis

Theory of Abiogenesis
• Nonliving things can be transformed into living things.

• Proposed by Aristotle who observed rotting meat and flies.

• Existed for nearly 2000 years

Example:
• Pond dries up – no fish or frogs

• Rain comes – fish and frogs

Therefore: It rained fish and frogs

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 Van Helmont
• ~300 years ago
• Belgian doctor Jean van Helmont – concluded that mice could be created
from a dirty shirt.
• He placed grains of wheat and a dirty shirt in a container and in 21 days
mice appeared.
Conclusion: Sweat caused wheat to ferment into mice. Abiogenesis!

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 Redi
• In 1668 Francesco Redi (Italian physician) tested Aristotle’s hypothesis (meat  flies)
• 4 sets of jars with meat
• one set was open (experimental
group)
• one set was sealed (control group)
• Maggots appeared on open jars of
meat
Conclusion: Flies come from flies!
Biogenesis – life from life.
• But, No air in jar, therefore life could
not survive.
• Redi repeated his experiment with a
fine mesh wire – supported Biogenesis
06/01/2024
again!
Introduction to Life Sciences
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 Louis Pasteur (1822-1895)

• 1864 – Pasteur developed a swan-neck

flask

Experiment:
• Boiled broth, air could enter but microbes
were trapped in curved flask
•06/01/2024
Broth remained clear  Biogenesis finallyIntroduction to Life Sciences 10
 Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection

Darwin’s Voyage
What did Darwin see?

• Charles Darwin became a naturalist, a scientist

who studies nature - British ship HMS Beagle.
• Darwin observed and collected many living and
fossil specimens.
• Darwin made - observations in Galápagos Islands of South America.
• Darwin formed the theory of biological evolution using the
observations.
https://youtu.be/-NFfSLlCawE
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 What did Darwin observe?

• Darwin observed differences in beak size

among finches from different islands.
• Many years later, scientists confirmed that
these differences related to the birds’ diets.
• Birds with shorter, heavier beaks could eat
harder foods than those with thinner beaks
could eat.

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What are the four parts of natural selection?

Over-
production

Genetic 4 parts of
Selection
Variation
Natural Selection

Adaptation

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What are the four parts of natural selection?

Over-
production
• Overproduction -a species plant
or animal makes more offspring
than the environment can support.
• Only some will survive into
adulthood.
• Smaller number of them will then
successfully reproduce

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 What are the four parts of natural selection?

Genetic
Variation

• Within a species there are natural

differences, or variations, in traits.
• Due to differences in genetic material.
• Can be passed on from parent to
offspring.
• An important source of variation is a
mutation, or change in genetic material.

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 What are the four parts of natural selection?

Selection • Individuals try to get the resources that they need to

survive, including food, water, space, and, in most
cases, mates for reproduction.

• Darwin reasoned that individuals with a particular trait

are more likely to survive long enough to reproduce.

• As a result, the trait is “selected,” becoming more

common in the next generation of offspring.
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Natural Selection

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 What are the four parts of natural selection?
• An adaptation is an inherited trait that
helps an organism survive and reproduce
in its environment.
Adaptation
• As natural selection repeats from
generation to generation, these
adaptations become more common, and
new adaptations may arise.

• Over time, the population becomes better

adapted to the environment.
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Well-adapted How do species change over time?

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