DNA genetics and evolution of life

How were/are elements formed

from the big bang or massive stars such as blue giants

Once atoms are formed, how long do they last

they are quite stable and can last longer than the age of the universe

what is the first law of physics

conservation of energy

how is the matter on earth recycled

through biogeochemical cycles

What energy drives our biogeochemical cycles

it comes from the sun

How does the flow of bioinformation on Earth maintain these cycles

in the form of DNA

if matter can’t be formed on earth then how does it stay?

it must be recycled

how does energy flow

It flows downhill, driving all physical, chemical, and biological processes, eventually ending up as heat (entropy always increases)

biological information carried by DNA always undergoes what

constant change resulting in evolution

what is matter

Hierarchically structured into levels of organization: atoms, molecules, macromolecules, cells, tissues, organisms

what happens once matter is formed

All matter has gravitational properties that creates stars. Stars are born when there is enough mass to generate enough gravitational force to initiate thermonuclear fusion which converts 4 hydrogen atoms into helium: 4H = 1 He + Energy

What can small amounts of mass be converted into? E = mc²

lots of energy

KT

kiloton or 1,000 tons of TNT

MT

megaton or one millions of tons of TNT

The distance and stellar are based on what?

known characteristics of these stars and their potential to synthesize the respective elements during their lifecycles:

helium

Our Sun (8 minutes, 20 seconds; 93 million miles)

info about the sun

The sun is about 93 million miles (150 million kilometers) away from Earth on average. Since light travels at 186,000 miles (300,000 kilometers) per second, it takes about 8 minutes and 20 seconds for sunlight to reach Earth.]

carbon

Antares (550 LY), Betelgeuse (640 LY) and Rigel (860 LY).

oxygen

Antares (550 LY), Betelgeuse (640 LY) and Rigel (860 LY).

nitrogen

Antares (550 LY), Betelgeuse (640 light years) and Antares (550 light years).

phosphorus

Eta Carinae (7,500 light years) and WR 104 (8,000 light years).

where does carbon come from

Carbon, oxygen, nitrogen on earth came from supergiant stars (Blue giants, Red giants) that form type II supernovae, and from the fusion of two white dwarfs that form a type Ia supernova, billions of years ago.

All of our nearest stars can make Helium (He):

Sun (main sequence 1.0 M☉) 93,000,000 miles 8.3 min away

Proxima Centauri (Red dwarf ~0.12 M☉) ~4.24 LY away

Alpha Centauri A (G-Main sequence ~1.1 M☉) ~4.37 LY away

Alpha Centauri B (K-Main sequence ~0.8 M☉) ~4.37 LY away

Bernard’s Star (Red dwarf ~ 0.14 M☉) ~5.96 LY away

All of our nearest stars can make C,H,O,N,P:

Antares (Red Supergiant ~12-18 M☉) ~600 LY away

Betelgeuse (Red Supergiant ~10-20 M☉) ~640 LY away

Rigel (Blue Supergiant ~17-25 M☉) ~860 LY away

Eta Carinae (Hypergiant ~ 100-150 M☉) ~7,500 LY away

what was every carbon in your body come from

was at one time aquatic or atmospheric CO₂

what does Cyanobacteria and chloroplasts in algae and green plants capture

inorganic carbon (CO2), and combine it with the help of light and water to a 5-carbon organic acceptor molecule called ribulose 1, 5 bisphosphate, catalyzed by the enzyme Rubisco (ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase) in the process known as oxygenic photosynthesis:

what is the formula for photosynthesis

sunlight + 6CO₂ + 6 H₂O—>(C₆H₁₂O₆) + 6 O₂

Rubisco (glucose)

What was every carbon Atom in your body at one time

it was also part of a plant and environment, which includes the food you ate, and when you were an embryo or fetus, the food your mother ate.

where did atoms come from when we were part of a sperm cell

Came from what your father ate, and your oocyte got its atoms from what your mother ate.

what is energy that is generated by our sun is used for

to fix 258 billion tons of CO₂ per year. This is the energy that also generates the production of O₂, and the energy that contributes to the biological component of our biogeochemical cycles.

energy from the sun flows through what

the biosphere driving almost all biological processes and eventually is

dissipated off as heat, while matter (atoms and molecules are recycled).

energy from the sun/sec

mass: 4X10⁹ kg/sec (2), Joules: 3.6×10²⁶ j/sec, Kcal: 8.46×10²³ Kcal/sec, KT: 8.4×10¹⁰ KT/sec, MT: 8.4×10⁷ MT/sec

energy from the sun that reaches earth/year (3)

Kcal: 5×10²⁰ Kcal/year (3)

energy from the sun used for photosynthesis by photoautotrophs/year

10¹⁷ Kcal/year (4)

How much does photosynthesis fix

258 billions of tons of CO₂ to organic carbon each year (5)

History of life on earth & Biogeochemical cycles

origin of the universe

origin of the earth and solar system

4.6 BYA

Primordial conditions on Earth

Reducing environment and organic soup

Period of chemical evolution

evolution of DNA and primordial prokaryotic cells

what were the first cells

chemotrophic and anaerobic (~3.5 BYA)

Evolution of oxygenic photosynthetic cyanobacteria

(blue-green algae, ~2. 5 BYA)

Oxygen revolution

First mass extinction, oxygenation of environment & ozone

Origin of nucleated cells called eukaryotes, and key endosymbiosis events

2 BYA

why can all organisms have a common origin and use DNA and the same genetic code

model organisms can be used to study genes common to their group.

Earth forms

4.6 BYA

oceans and continents form

4.5 BYA

Molecules evolved and created an “organic soup.”

4.0 BYA

Prokaryotic cells evolved

3.5 BYA

The first photosynthetic bacteria evolved

3.0 BYA

Cyanobacteria evolved oxygenic photosynthesis

2.5 BYA

Oxygen destroyed most anaerobes, and aerobes evolved

1.3-2.0 BYA

Oxygen destroyed organic soup and filled the atmosphere

2.0 BYA

The ozone layer formed, blocking harmful UV-C radiation and protecting DNA

0.9 BYA

Eukaryotes evolved through the endosymbiosis of aerobic bacteria

2.0 BYA

Endosymbiosis of cyanobacteria produced chloroplasts

1.5 BYA

Terrestrial life became possible because it was protected by the ozone layer

1.4 BYA

Multicellular organisms evolved

1.0 BYA

Early humans emerged

0.2 MYA