Evolving Concept of Life

Based on Emerging
Pieces of Evidence
GROUP 1
INTRODUCTION
This lesson will help you understand the
historical development of the concept of life
based on emerging pieces of evidence. This
will be trace back the events, processes, and
loving organisms existed on earth from the
earliest time to present.
OBJECTIVES
1. Identify the sequence of events at the history
of life on Earth.
2. Name the pieces of evidence on the evolution
of life on Earth.
3. Recognize the importance of knowing the
history of life on Earth.
What is LIFE SCIENCE?
Life Science is collection of
disciplines that is made up of
theories and principles that
tackles the structure and
function of living things starting
from the molecules level up to
entire ecosystem.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF LIFE
They’re made up of cells They exhibit metabolism

They grow and develop They respond to their environment

They are capable of reproduction Maintain homeostasis

 TIMELINE OF APPEARANCE OF LIFE FORMS

 4.6 – 3.8 BYA - The early Earth is said to be violent because of the
meteorites and volcanic eruptions. With this condition, Zircon
Crystal was formed.

 3.5 BYA – Life on Earth initially began with prokaryotes, discovered

in discovered in sedimentary rock formations called stromatolites.

 3.0 BYA – the first photosynthetic organism thrived the earth which
is blue green algae called Cyanobacteria.
 2.0 BYA - Appearance of the first eukaryotes and the influx of
multicellular organisms occurred 1.2 billion years ago.

 500 BYA – The Paleozoic era when the trilobites and cephalopods became
dominant in the ocean particularly during the Cambrian and Ordavician.

 251 – 65.5 BYA – The Mesozoic era the age if reptiles that has a span 251
to 65.5 BYA divided into Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous period.
 250 TYA – The Cenozoic era recent life and based on
paleontological evidence. Homo Erectus have evolved.
The universe is about 4.6 billion years old. Life an earth,
probably began only between 3.5 and 4.0 billion years ago.
Evidence from fossil records show the emergence of the
difference life forms. The common ancestors of all life was
prokaryotic. Since, oxygen was scare on the early Earth, so
the ancestral cell must also have been an anaerobic. There are
some challenges encountered in searching for the evidence in
early life.
Cells are microscopic and most have no part so
fossilize. The tectonic plate movement have destroyed
nearly all the rocks have been heated or undergone
processes that destroy the traces of biological material.
At present, the oldest cell microfossil (microscopic
fossils) are filaments from 3.5 billion-years-old rocks in
Western Australia
The filaments resemble chain of modern photosynthetic bacteria and the
rocks in which they occur are the remains of ancient stromatolites.

The researchers look for biomarkers specific to eukaryotes. It is a

substance that occur only or predominantly in cells of a specific type.
Eukaryotes are organisms having true nucleus. The DNA is enclosed
within the nucleus whereas DNA of most prokaryotes lies enclosed in the
cell’s cytoplasm. The first eukaryotes were protist.
 MEANING
Fossil- a fossil is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once living thing from
past geological age.
Fossil record- history of life as documented by fossils, the remains or imprints of organisms
from earlier geological periods preserved in sedimentary rocks.
Prokaryote- are organism whose cells lack a nucleus and another organelles.
Biomarker- a measurable substance in an organism whose presence is indicative of some
phenomenon such as disease, infection or any environmental exposure.
Eukaryotes- an organism whose cells have nucleus.
Protist- a protist is any eukaryotic organism that is not an animal, plants or fungus.
 TYPES OF ORGANISMS
EUKARYOTES PROKARYOTES
-any organism that lacks a distinct nucleus and
-any cell or organism that possess a
cell membrane other organelles due to the absence of internal
clearly defined nucleus membranes

cytoplasm
animals, plants, fungi, & protists Bacteria and archaea
DNA

May be unicellular or
multicellular
ribosomes Unicellular
 EUKARYOTES

Eukaryotes are organisms

whose cells have a nucleus.
All animals, plants, fungi,
and many unicellular
organisms, are Eukaryotes.
EUKARYOTIC ORGANISMS

Animals

Fungi

Plants
 PROKARYOTES

Prokaryotes are organisms

whose cells lack a nucleus and
other organelles. Prokaryotes
are divided into two distinct
groups: the bacteria and the
archaea, which scientists
believe have unique
evolutionary lineages.
PROKARYOTIC ORGANISMS

Cyanobacteria

Mycoplasma

Bacteria
activities
 ACTIVITY 1: It’s a Match!

Directions: Column A are evidences while Column B refers to certain timeline. Match them by
writing the letter of your answer on the space before the number.
Column A Column B
______1. homo erectus A. 4.3 BYA
______2. eukaryotes B. 2.0 BYA
______3. zircon crystal C. Mesozoic Era
______4. dinosaurs D. 250 thousand years ago
______5. trilobite fossils E. Cambrian Period

1. D 2. B 3. A 4. C 5. E
 ASSESSMENT
Multiple Choice. Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen
letter on a separate sheet of paper.
1. Oxygen was scarce during the early development of Earth. By this situation,
what kind of organism first existed?

A. aerobic organism
B. anaerobic organism
C. mammal
D. protist
2. Which of the following statements is NOT true on the evolution of
multicellular organisms?

A. The process of continuous specialization brought more complex

organisms.

B. The prokaryotic organisms that formed multicellular aggregates were like

the cells of Cyanobacteria.

C. They are believed to have evolved from single-celled prokaryotic

organisms.

D. They are formed from other multicellular colonial aggregates through cells
specialization.
3. Why do you think the emergence of plants and animals came later than
simple
living organisms?

A. Their existence is not that important on Earth.

B. Their size is too big that it takes longer time for development.

C. The cell structures of these multicellular organisms are more complex.

D. These organisms are composed of many nucleus compared to

unicellular.
4. Which statement is incorrect about living organisms?

A. The earliest forms of life existed were the prokaryotes.

B. The eukaryotic organisms evolved from the unicellular prokaryotic.

C. Organisms did not change despite of the changes in the environment.

D. Evolution of oxygen-producing organisms allowed the increase in the

atmospheric oxygen.
5. Which of the following are in the correct order?

A. eukaryotic cell, photosynthesis, prokaryotic cell, organic

molecules

B. eukaryotic cell, prokaryotic cell, organic molecules,

photosynthesis

C. organic molecules, eukaryotic cell, photosynthesis,

prokaryotic cell

D. organic molecules, prokaryotic cell, photosynthesis,

eukaryotic cell
6. What is the evidence for a last universal common ancestor
among life on
Earth?

A. All look the same.

B. They have similar synthesis pattern.

C. All are classified as aerobic organisms.

D. They share similar molecular features.

7. What unique substance do researchers look after
in their study of eukaryotes?

A. biomarkers
B. fossils
C. mitochondria
D. stromatolites
8. Which of the following can be considered as a
fossil?

A. a billion-year old rock

B. a billion-year old piece of amber
C. a billion-year old amber with a primitive insect
inside
D. all of the choices are correct
9. Mainly the fossils are found on sedimentary rocks.
What type of rocks are stromatolites?

A. igneous
B. metamorphic
C. sedimentary
D. Trilobites
10. Which of the following is NOT true about the evidence that fossils provide?

A. All fossils gathered contain intact DNA that can be sequenced.

B. Fossil ages can often be determined by testing nearby rocks.

C. Fossil organisms often share physical similarities with living

organisms.

D. Some fossil organisms are transitional forms between groups of

organisms.
11. It was stated that the organisms are evolving. The evolution can be due to
environmental changes. More so, the conservation of their traits depends
mainly on how they will survive. In this regard, humans alter the natural world
bringing harmful consequences from their activity. Which among the following
refers to the alteration brought by humans to the natural environment?

A. environmental issues

B. ecosystem conflict

C. environmental topics

D. human intervention
12. What is the significance of studying the molecular evidence
present among living organisms?

A. It will benefit the economy of the world.

B. It will give idea for the scientist which to clone.

C. It will then serve as the basis of what to study.

D. It will allow the classification of living organisms.

13. Over the past several decades, natural selection has caused populations of
Staphylococcus aureus to evolve resistance to most antibiotics. What do you
think would be the significance of being knowledgeable about the history of
this organism towards antibiotics?

A. It will just give them background about the microorganism.

B. It will just give them idea of increasing the frequency of the organisms.

C. It will give an idea of continuing the use of antibiotic against

Staphylococcus aureus.

D. It will give an idea for the medical team to discontinue the use of
particular antibiotic resistant to that microorganism.
14. The study of history of life is indeed significant. As part of
searching for the
fossils of previous organisms, stromatolite played a significant role.
What is
true about stromatolite?

A. It is found on eukaryotes.

B. It is produced by endosymbiosis.

C. It is formed during volcanic eruptions.

D. It consists of layered bacteria and sediment.

15. The following statements are challenges for the researchers in finding and
identifying signs of early cells. Which is NOT part of the group?

A. Cells are microscopic and most have no parts to fossilize

B. Materials and testing laboratories are not available.

C. Slightly younger rocks have been heated up and undergone other

processes

D. Tectonic plate movements have destroyed nearly all rocks older than about
4 billion years.