Origin of Life and Phylogenetic Trees

Flashcards covering key concepts related to the origin of life, evolutionary history, and biological classification (taxonomy and phylogenetic trees).

Earth's Age

The Earth is approximately 4.6 billion years old.

First Fossils

Prokaryotes appeared around 3.5 billion years ago, representing the first fossil evidence of life.

Protocells

Membrane-enclosed droplets with internal chemistry separated from the environment, representing an early stage in the origin of life.

Self-replicating Molecules

Molecules like DNA that make inheritance possible, a crucial stage in the evolution of life.

Carolus Linnaeus

A famous Swedish biologist who introduced taxonomy, a system for naming and classifying species.

Taxonomy

A system of naming and classifying species, introduced by Carolus Linnaeus.

Homologies (Homologous Structures)

Similarities between species due to shared ancestry, based on their phylogenetic relatedness.

Analogies (Analogous Structures)

Similarities between species due to convergent evolution, where similar habitats lead to similar adaptations in non-closely related species.

Convergent Evolution

The evolution of similar adaptations in distantly related species due to similar environmental pressures or habitats.

Horizontal Gene Transfer

The movement of DNA between different taxa, which can occur due to viral infections or endosymbiosis.

Endosymbiosis

A theory suggesting that eukaryotic organelles, such as mitochondria and chloroplasts, originated from the engulfment of free-living prokaryotes by eukaryotic cells.

Domains of Life

The highest taxonomic rank, currently classifying all life into three groups: Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya.