Natural Selection

Protein enzymes

Lipid membranes

DNA molecules

RNA molecules

The Earth likely contained chemicials, little water, no oxygen

The Earth likely contained chemicals, little water, and oxygen

The Earth likely contained chemicials, a lot of water water, no oxygen

The Earth likely contained no chemicials, little water, no oxygen

A neutral atmosphere with balanced levels of methane and carbon dioxide

An oxidizing atmosphere dominated by free oxygen and ozone layer formation

A dynamic atmosphere characterized by frequent electrical storms but minimal volcanic activity

A reducing atmosphere rich in hydrogen gas and lacking free oxygen.

Random mutations in DNA resulting in antibiotic resistance are naturally selected for when bacteria are exposed to antibiotics.

Behavioral adaptations allow the bacteria to avoid contact with antibiotics, thus not requiring genetic changes.

Genetic drift causes random fluctuations in allele frequencies that confer antibiotic resistance.

Gene flow introduces new antibiotic resistance genes from distant populations into a local bacterial population.

Photorespiration.

Chemosynthesis.

Photosynthesis.

Aerobic respiration.

It would increase genetic diversity because only those with diverse genotypes survive drastic changes.

It would maintain current levels of genetic diversity as survival is random, not based on genotype.

It would reduce genetic diversity due to only a small number of individuals contributing alleles to subsequent generations.

The environmental change itself would generate new alleles enhancing the population's genetic variety post-bottleneck.

There was no food source for mammals on land but there was for plants: sunlight.

Plants and fungi make less children so they need to support less

There is no reason, they just got there first

Plants and fungi could move faster than mammals

It stabilizes allele frequencies by preventing natural selection.

It increases genetic variation within the population through gene flow.

It encourages the introduction of new alleles by promoting mutations.

It can lead to significant changes in allele frequencies due to random sampling.

Offering stable temperatures for enzyme activity

Providing energy for chemical synthesis

Acting as a barrier against solar radiation

Supplying oxygen for aerobic metabolism

Vesicles were detrimental because they prevented UV light from reaching organic molecules, hindering their synthesis.

Vesicles were mainly responsible for cellular respiration in pre-life organisms.

Vesicles provide physical boundaries, concentrating organic molecules and facilitating complex reactions.

Proto-cells likely played a role as they would require more oxygen than available pre-biotically.