A Brief History of Life

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A Brief History of Life

How Did Everything Begin?

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Intelligent Design Theories (Creation Myths)

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More Stories from Around the World…

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…on how the world began…

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…all of them unique

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If the earth has existed for 4.5 billion years, what about life on earth?

Earliest evidence: cyanobacteria called stromatolites (3.4 billion years), in Australia

As early as 3.8 billion years ago

Earth was stable enough to support life

Ribonucleic Acid (RNA)

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But where?

Possibly the ocean, based on evidences

Fossils

Deep sea microbes

Smoker fossils in China

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From single-celled organisms to complex creatures…

Evolution

Natural selection- helpful traits vs. harmful traits

Adaptation- best suited for environment

Genetic drift- independent process that produces random changes; chance

Diversification in nature

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Cambrian Explosion

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The Descent of Man and the Attacks on Evolution

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The Human Story

Cenozoic Era (“Age of Mammals”)

Around 2.5 million years ago

African Savanna

Mammals including primates

Humans and chimpanzees share a common ancestor between 7 to 6 million years ago

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If they are happy swinging in trees, why come down?

Evidences found in the Great Rift Valley, savannas on the Eastern part of Africa

Difficulty in knuckle walking → adapt to bipedalism

Predators abound → flight or fight, shelter and protect

Scattered plants → change in diet, enriched food selection