Part #1

Unit 4-Evolution

4.1 The origin of life

 Explain what biologists generally understand by the term ‘evolution’.

 Describe and compare some of the different theories that seek to explain the
origin of life on Earth, including special creation theory, spontaneous
generation theory, eternity of life theory, cosmozoan theory and biochemical
origin theory.
 Describe some of the evidence supporting the biochemical
origin theory, including the work of Oparin and Miller.
 Evolution is the gradual change of organisms on the earth over long periods, with new
forms replacing old ones.
 As evolution has progressed new species are arising, the biodiversity of the planet
increasing, larger and more complex organisms replaced the smaller and some species
has get extinct.
 Evolution can also be the change in genetic composition of a population over
successive generations which may be caused by meiosis, hybridization, natural selection
or mutation. This leads to a sequence of events by which the population diverges from
other populations of the same species and may lead to the origin of a new species.
 The theory of evolution describes how the various forms of life on earth (including
humans) emerged and developed.
Theories on the origin of life on Earth
There are five main theories of the origin of life on Earth:
1. Special creationism
2. Spontaneous generation
3. Eternity of life
4. Cosmozoan theory
5. Biochemical origin
1. Special creationism
 Special creation theory states that the different forms of life on earth were created by a
Supreme Being/ God/ at once with six days.
 Special creation is always linked to religion and mainly focused on spiritual matters that
cannot be seen, touched or measured effectively.
Types of creationism theory
A. Young Earth creationism
Earth is only a few thousand years old. The Earth was created in six 24-hour days. While
they agree that the Earth is round and moves around the Sun, they interpret all geology in
the light of Noah’s flood.

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BIOLOGY NOTE FOR GRADE-12 SOS HERMAN GEMINER SCHOOL, HARAR SET BY: GETNET H.
 B. Old Earth creationism
How they explain the age of the Earth while still holding to the story found in Genesis.
Those who believe in Old Earth creationism accept the evidence that the Earth is very old
but still maintain that all life was created by God.
C. Gap creationism (Day-age and gap creationism) – discusses a large gap between the
formation of the earth and the creation of all the animals and plants.
The gap could be billions or millions of years. Earth is several billion years old
without having to believe in the process of evolution itself.
D. Progressive creationism – accepts the Big Bangs theory as the origin of the universe. It
accepts the fossil record of a series of creation for all of the organisms but it does not
accept these as part of a continuing process (each is seen as unique creation).
Modern species are not seen as being genetically related to ancient ones.
E. Evolutionary creationism (Theistic evolution) – This view of evolution maintains that
God ‘invented’ evolution and takes some form of an active part in the ongoing process of
evolution.
The role of God in areas not discussed by science, like the creation of the human soul
F. Intelligent design – a theory states that life developed (formed) due to a combination of
natural forces and the intervention of a supernatural being.
This is the newest version of creationism and maintains that God’s handiwork can be
seen in all of creation if one knows where to look.
2. Spontaneous generation theory
 Suggests that life can evolve 'spontaneously' from non-living objects. E.g. people
believed that rotting meat turned into flies.
 Francisco Redi to disprove the idea of rotting meat producing flies (maggots) and the
work of Louis Pasteur showed that broth (wine) only went sour if micro-organisms were
allowed to enter.
 These two scientists showed that both macro-organisms (Redi) and micro-organisms
(Pasteur) can only arise from pre-existing organisms, disproving the theory of
spontaneous generation.
3. Eternity of life
 It states that the universe has always existed and that there has always been life in the
universe. There is no beginning and no end to life on earth and so life is neither created
nor generated from non-living matters.
4. Cosmozoan Theory
 States that life on the earth originally came from elsewhere in the universe (cosmos)
(possibly from another planet). E.g. Meteorites brought bacterial spores, germs to the
earth. This theory did not gain any significant support because it lacks evidence and it is
strongly linked to the eternity of life’ theory of the origin life.

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BIOLOGY NOTE FOR GRADE-12 SOS HERMAN GEMINER SCHOOL, HARAR SET BY: GETNET H.
5. Biochemical theory
 It suggests that life on earth originated as a result of a number of biochemical reactions
producing organic molecules, which combined (associated) to form cells.
 This theory is also called abiogenesis (origin of life from chemicals); states life
originates from chemical inanimate (abiotic substances).
 The two scientists (biologists) who developed the theory of abiogenesis were: -
Aleksander Oparin (1924) and John Haldane (1929).
 They both suggested:
 The primitive atmosphere of the earth was a reducing atmosphere no free oxygen (no
oxygen gas).
 There was an appropriate supply of energy, such as lightening or ultraviolet light (Uv
– rays).
 This would provide the energy for reactions that would synthesize a wide range of
organic compounds (amino acids, sugars and fatty acids).
 Oparin suggested that the atmosphere of the primitive earth contained NH3, H2, water
vapour (H2O (g)) and CH4.
 He suggested that at high temperature (above boiling point), these gases could have
undergone a series of chemical reactions and might have formed colloidal aggregates or
coacervates (collections of droplets that composed of molecules of different types).
 Oparin considered that these coacervates were able to absorb and assimilate organic
compounds (amino acids, DNA and others) and leading to the first true cells.
 J. Haldane – proposed that the chemical reactions of these gases were occurred in the
primitive sea by solar energy and the sea became a hot dilute soup’ of organic
monomers and small polymers.
 In 1953, Stanley Miller tested the biochemical theory. He applied electrical sparks
repeatedly through a mixture of gases (NH3, water, H2 and CH4) that were represent
the primitive atmosphere of the earth (no oxygen) connected a flask of heated water.
 Miller leaving the equipment for longer periods of time, a larger variety and more
complex organic molecules were formed including:
 amino acids - to form proteins
 pentose sugar - to form nucleic acids
 Hexose sugar - need for respiration and to form starch and cellulose.
 Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) - starting point for synthesizes of nitrogen
containing bases in nucleotides.
 This experiment gave strong evidence to support the Oparin-Haldane hypothesis. Origin
of Autotrophy: The first life (cell) appeared on earth – about 4 billion years ago and they
were: - anaerobes, prokaryotes and heterotrophs.
 They would have fed on organic chemicals (soup) which formed spontaneously in the
waters of the earth.
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BIOLOGY NOTE FOR GRADE-12 SOS HERMAN GEMINER SCHOOL, HARAR SET BY: GETNET H.
  The three consecutive lines of evolution of organisms on earth leading to:
 Archaebacteria - are first appeared organisms. They are prokaryotes including
thermophilic (high temp. loving), sulphobacteria, methanobacteria and halophilic (salt
loving) bacteria. They can survive under harsh (extreme) environment.
 Eubacteria – are true (ordinary) bacteria, ordinary bacteria and cyanobacteria (blue –
green algae)
 Prokaryotes – evolved into protista, fungi, plants, animals (nearly all are aerobes).
 Later (3.5 billion years ago) the first autotrophs (photosynthetic organisms) like
cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) came in existence. With the evolution of chlorophyll
molecules, oxygen (O2) was released as a by-product of photosynthesis and this changes
the earth‘s atmosphere from the reducing to an atmosphere containing oxygen.
 The fossil record shows that cyanobacteria had been producing oxygen by photosynthesis
from about 305 million years ago but the levels of oxygen in atmosphere did not rise for
almost 1 billion years ago. Because oxygen was absorbed by the vast amount iron in the
earth it rusted.

1. What is Big Bangs theory?

2. What are the main creationist views on the origin of life on Earth?
3. Explain how Francisco Redi and Louis Pasteur disproved spontaneous generation theory?

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BIOLOGY NOTE FOR GRADE-12 SOS HERMAN GEMINER SCHOOL, HARAR SET BY: GETNET H.