Handout 1 4th Quarter

The historical development of the concept of life
-Earth’s age- 4.5 billion years old

-Status of Earth during its formation- violent, disorder, chaotic
-accretional energy- it is the stored energy on the internal structure or parts of the planet from the bombarding particles
that produce heat in the universe and deposited inside our planet.
-life did not emerge on the next few hundred million years after the Earth’s formation (700 million years)
How did the scientists discover the Earth’s age? Because of the fossils or microfossils that were discovered in different
parts of the planet.
-fossils (microfossils) were announced to have been discovered in hydrothermal vent precipitates. (4.28 billion
years old)
-but the undisputed evidence of life dates from at least 3.5 billion years ago.
-Earliest life forms- prokaryotes
-prokaryotes- single-celled organisms that do not have nucleus (bacteria and archaea)
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
RNA (ribonucleic acid)
-What is the status during the early age of our planet?
-Anoxic environment- deficient in oxygen
-atmosphere was rich in nitrogen, carbon dioxide; deficient in oxygen (anoxic environment)
-anaerobic organism- capable of surviving without oxygen
-As the earth evolves the organisms also evolves
-cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) conducted photosynthesis using sunlight, oxygen, and carbon dioxide.
-unicellular organisms- compose of only one cell
-multicellular organism- compose of multiple or many cells
-evolution plays a pivotal role
-“Concept of when” is always debatable
Theories on the Origin of Life

• Creation Theory - the concept of divine creation is that all life forms existing today have been created by a supreme
being.
• Abiogenesis Theory - also known as Spontaneous Generation is the idea that life could appear from a nonliving material.
• Biogenesis Theory - believes that life originated from preexisting life.
Life of a Paleontologist
• A paleontologist is a scientist who studies the fossilized remains of all kinds of organisms (plants, animals, fungi,
bacteria and other single-celled living things), and is interested in knowing the history of organic life on earth.
-determines location of fossils
-excavates layers of sedimentary rock to locate fossils
-gathers information on the fossils (age, location, etc.)
-evaluates any discoveries by using specialized computer programs
-compares new data to existing data
-analyzes findings in the lab
SUMMARY
• Life started billions of years ago (few million years after the formation of the planet)
• Life started as a very simple form under the harsh condition of the planet. (Prokaryotes)
•As the Earth changed, so did the organisms.
•Evolution took place until the simple organisms became more and more complex.
Classic experiments on the evolution of life

Aristotle, a Greek philosopher believed that with favorable environment and forces of nature, life can come from non-
living materials.
• Abiogenesis Theory - also known as Spontaneous Generation is the idea that life could appear from a non-living
material.
Classic experiments
In 1886, Italian physician Francesco Redi conducted an experiment that challenged the idea of spontaneous generation.
A. Francesco Redi's Experiment
 Redi was able to prove that organisms do not just come to life spontaneously.
In 1748, John Needham, an English priest and biologist challenged Redi's experiment. He tried to prove that spontaneous
generation can occur in an appropriate condition.
B. John Needham's Experiment
• Heat could kill organisms even the smallest ones.
• When the broth was boiled, all organisms in it had died from the heat.
 Days later, he noticed that a thick solution had formed on broth.
In 1767, Lazzaro Spallanzani, an Italian scholar and scientist conducted an experiment to verify Needham's setup.
C. Lazzarro Spallanzani's Experiment
• Needham had not heated the broth enough to kill all organisms in it.
• The setup that was sealed remained free from microbial growth.
• He concluded that life occurred from something that entered the unsealed flask and that it was the one responsible for
life to grow.
Louis Pasteur's experiment convinced most scientists that spontaneous generation could not occur.
D. Louis Pasteur's Experiment
• Pasteur made an experiment to test the idea that a vital element from air was necessary for life to emerge.
• He boiled sugar solution with yeast in flasks with long neck.
• Through heating, he eliminated the contaminants.
• The flask was left open to allow this vital factor in the air to enter but no organisms developed in the mixture.
• It was because the microorganism settled only on the bottom of the curved neck of the flask and could not reach the
mixture.
SUMMARY
•Spontaneous Generation - life can come from non-living materials.
• Scientists conducted experiments to prove or disprove the idea of spontaneous generation.
• Francisco Redi - "Maggot in the Flask"
• John Needham - "Boiled broth to kill organisms in it. Kept the container open.'
• Lazzaro Spallanzani - "Redo John Needham's experiment but with a different set-up."
• Louis Pasteur - "Curved neck set up”
UNIFYING THEMES IN THE STUDY OF LIFE

Characteristics of Living Things
1. Living Things are made up of Cells
2. Living Things Metabolize
• Metabolism is the sum of all life-sustaining chemical reactions in living things
Two types of metabolism:
 Anabolism - the substances needed by organisms to grow, store energy, and repair tissues are synthesized or put
together.
• Catabolism - some complex substances are broken down, releasing the energy stored in their molecules.
3. Living Things Grow and Develop
4. Living Things Respond to Stimuli
Stimulus (plural: stimuli) is a signal or change in the environment of the organism that produces a response or reaction
from that organism.
5. Living Things Interact
6. Living Things Reproduce
7. Living Things Adapt and Evolve
8. Living Things Have Organized Structure
LEVEL OF BIOLOGICAL HIERARCHY

•Atoms are the building blocks of matter.
Examples: hydrogen & helium
•Molecules are combinations of atoms formed through chemical bonding.
Examples: water (H2O), glucose (C6H1202) and salt (NaCI)
 Cells are the basic unit of life.

Examples: red blood cells, egg cell, sperm cells, bone cells, and etc.
 Tissues are groups of cells performing specific functions.

Examples: skin tissue (epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis) and muscle tissues in humans and animals; conducting tissues
(xylem and phloem) in plants
• Organs are formed from clusters and layers of tissues carrying a specific function.
Examples: heart, brain and lungs in humans and animals; leaves, stems, and roots in plants
• Organ Systems are groups of organs functioning together in a system.
Examples: circulatory system, nervous system, digestive system, and reproductive system
•Organisms are the individuals in a population functioning and performing the characteristics of living things.
Examples: a human, a dog, and a mango tree
• Population refers to the group of organisms of the same species interacting together.
Examples: human population and banana plantation
•Community consists of different populations (different species) living and sharing a particular habitat.
Examples: a forest with trees and undergrowth plants, inhabited by animals and bacteria and fungi in the soil
• Ecosystem composed of communities interacting with the non-living components of the environment which include the
soil, water, temperature, and even light.
Example: tropical rainforest
• Biosphere consists of all ecosystems on Earth whether they support life on land, water, or lower atmosphere. It is where
all interactions happen.

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Handout 1 4th Quarter

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The historical development of the concept of life

-Earth’s age- 4.5 billion years old

Theories on the Origin of Life

Classic experiments on the evolution of life

 Days later, he noticed that a thick solution had formed on broth.

UNIFYING THEMES IN THE STUDY OF LIFE

LEVEL OF BIOLOGICAL HIERARCHY

 Cells are the basic unit of life.

 Tissues are groups of cells performing specific functions.

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