Origins Of Life Flashcards
When did the Big Bang occur?
Approximately 13.7 billion years ago (BYA)
What are population III stars and why are they significant?
The first stars composed only of hydrogen and helium, they produced heavier elements though nuclear fusion
What elements result from supernovas of population II stars?
Metals like carbon and iron
What type of star is our sun?
A population I star, formed about 5 BYA
How old is earth and when did I s stable crust form?
Earth is about 4.5 BY old and its stable crust formed around 3.9-3.8 BYA
What are stromatolites?
Layered mats of bacteria and sediment, found as fossils dating back to 2.7 BYA
What did Miller-Urey experiment demonstrate?
Complex organic molecules like amino acids can form under conditions resembling early earths atomsphere
What is the “RNA world” hypothesis?
A theory suggesting RNA was he first self-replicating molecule, acting as both genetic material and enzyme
What are Fox’s microspheres?
Structures formed by heating proteins, modeling early cellular compartmentalization
What is biogenic carbon?
Carbon with an isotopic bias (e.g. lighter carbon-13) indicating biological processes
What is exobiology?
The study of like beyond earth, also known as astrobiology
Which moons in the solar system may have liquid water?
Europa (Jupiter), Enceladus (Saturn), and titan (Saturn)
What evidence suggests Europa could harbor life?
Liquid water beneath its ice shell and potential hydrothermal vents
What is the Fermi paradox?
The contradiction between the high probability of extraterrestrial life and the lack of evidence for it
What is the “Goldilocks zone”?
A habitable zone where conditions are just right for liquid water to exist
