How and when the life began?

The age of Earth was estimated as about 4.6

billion years old based on the age of meteorites
by Clair C. Patterson (19221995) - using Uranium-Lead
dating on fragments of the Canyon Diablo meteorite and published in 1956*.

Chemical evolution (or Abiogenesis) is the first process by

which rocks, water and gases chemically combined to form
essential molecules (monomers) and eventually result in the
formation of nucleic acids (e.g. RNA) and living cells.
During the early time, Earth atmosphere contained simple
compounds composed principally of hydrogen, carbon,
oxygen and nitrogen including water vapor, methane,
hydrogen and ammonia Primordial Soup conditions.
*http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Age-of-the-earth

Concept Map

Primordial
Soup

Hydrothermal Vent

Clay
Surface

Abiogenesis

Oxygen limited

Single-celled
organisms

Multi-cellular
organisms
e.g. sponges

Modified from Paul Anderson

In 1953, two
pioneers tested
the abiogenesis
hypothesis

Stanley Miller (1930-2007)

Harold Urey (1893-1981)

Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1934

Miller-Urey Experiment
In 1953, Stanley Miller and Harold
Urey carried out this important
experiment at Chicago University.
They mixed H2O, CH4, H2 and NH3
in a large flask with electrical
sparks generated by 2 electrodes.
After few days, the liquid became
cloudy and turned to dark brown
color.
Chemical analysis revealed that
the brownish liquid contained a
large amount of amino acids (25),
carbohydrates, fatty acids etc.

Step 1
CO2 CO + [O] (atomic oxygen)
CH4 + 2[O] CH2O + H2O
CO + NH3 HCN + H2O
CH4 + NH3 HCN + 3H2 (BMA Process)

Jeffrey Bada
Step 2
CH2O + HCN +NH3 NH2CH2CN +H2O
NH2CH2CN + 2H2O NH3 +NH2CH2COOH (glycine)

Further Experiments
After Miller-Urey experiment in 1953, many scientists
conducted modified experiments to more closely match what
scientist now think were primitive Earth conditions.
For example, they used nitrogen and carbon dioxide instead of
ammonia and methane, and adding common minerals to the
initial mixture liquid.

These experiments reveal how easy it is to make all sorts of

organic molecules, including lipids and bases, as well as
complex substances such as long protein chains and nucleic
acids.

Primordial
Soup

Hydrothermal Vent

Clay
Surface

Abiogenesis

Oxygen limited

Single-celled
organisms

Multi-cellular
organisms
e.g. sponges

Modified from Paul Anderson

Black Smokers discovered in 1979

Black Smokers
Deep-ocean floor
Vents of mineral rich hot
water
Diverse ecosystem
Most primitive bacteria

Hydrothermal zones
Site of lifes origin?
Protected
Ideal chemical
environment

The First Cell before stromatolites ?

Modern stromatolites in Shark Bay, Western Australia

3.2-3.5 billion years old

The Window of Opportunity

Rapid chemical processes

Stromatolites
3.2-3.5 billion years old
Recent discoveries
J. William Schopf, University of California
Evidence of life 3.5 billion years ago*
(a paper in Science appeared in 1993)
Grard et al. (2009) have recently
documented the presence of modern
bacteria in drill-core samples of rocks that
are 2.7 billion years old.
*http://sandwalk.blogspot.hk/2009/09/did-life-arise-35-billion-years-ago.html

Primordial
Soup
Abiogenesis

Hydrothermal Vent

Oxygen limited

Modified from Paul Anderson

?
RNA World

Single-celled
organisms

Multi-cellular
organisms
e.g. sponges

Clay
Surface

RNA Enzymes & The First Cell

Early life was simpler
RNA catalyzed reactions
Created proteins
Proteins led to DNA

First cell
No competition
Multiplied rapidly

Why we think RNA first?

Translation depends on RNA:
- mRNA supplies the information for protein synthesis
- active ingredient of the ribosome is rRNA
- tRNA also essential for translation

RNA first?
In Millers experiments, ribose (component of
RNA) was created and deoxy-ribose (in DNA)
was harder to produce. Deoxy-ribose tends to
decompose better than ribose.
RNA is simpler than DNA.
It exists in viruses (and no DNA)

Primordial
Soup

Oxygen limited
Abiogenesis

Hydrothermal Vent

Modified from Paul Anderson

Organic Matter
from Space

?
RNA World

Single-celled
organisms

Multi-cellular
organisms
e.g. sponges

Clay
Surface

Organic Matters from Space

Nature, 430, 985 (2004)

Nature, 479, 80 (2011)

BBC First Life David Attenborough on Youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZJ8Zk2VvN4
(more complete but not HD)

With English sub-title:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yiJv6KkMXI&feature=channel&list=UL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8N8hjyVuRIw&feature=channel&list=UL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vg4vSYRyNU&list=UUaltokhFFrhNInAKvCV4knw&index=12&feature=plcp

BBC Life on Earth: The Infinite Variety Parts 1-6 on Youtube:

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDdaStk5SEM
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HStl89NXdHQ
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_TdbzIje7s&feature=channel&list=UL
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOPtuGR1E5I&feature=BFa&list=ULOj-AO7B0jBk
Part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oj-AO7B0jBk&feature=BFa&list=ULhOPtuGR1E5I
Part 6: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6ywpvS6Lsc&feature=BFa&list=ULOj-AO7B0jBk

Bill Nye: Greatest Discoveries : Evolution (Discovery Channel) - Extinction of

Dinosaurs, Origin of Life and Evolution
http://www.youtube.com/user/evolutiondocumentary?feature=results_main

Single Cell to Multicellular Organism

via extracellular matrix, such as collagen