Origin of Life

Piecing It Together

1. Earth’s early atmosphere was considerably different from todays, containing much
more carbon dioxide and nearly no free oxygen.
2. Experiments conducted since the early 1950s have confirmed that simple carbon based
compounds, including amino acids, will spontaneously form under conditions
typical of Earth’s early atmosphere. Astronomers commonly observe carbon-based
compounds throughout the universe.
3. Over time, naturally occurring chemical processes combined simple carbon-based
compounds into more complex ones, including proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, phospholipids, and nucleotides (RNA and DNA) leading to protocells.


• Research a theory about the origin of life on Earth other than the one summarized under Piecing It Together above.

• Use the following key words and Web sites to assist you with your search:
o Origin of life
o Panspermia theory
o Hydrothermal vent and origin of life
o Prebiotic world
o http://www.chem.duke.edu/~jds/cruise_chem/Exobiology/sites.html
o http://www.resa.net/nasa/origins_life.htm

Describe and evaluate both the origin of life theory summarized in Piecing It Together above and the other theory you researched. Be skeptical when reviewing the theories. Skepticism is the hallmark of any scientific effort. You should ask the following questions about each theory:
o Where is the evidence to support this claim?
o Is there any data on which to base this claim?

Hope someone can help me with this because I sure don't know what I'm doing.  Thanks!