Quest flashcards

Spontaneous Generation

Early belief that life arises from nonlife, widely accepted before being disproven by experiments.

Redi’s Experiment

1668 experiment showing that flies originate from other flies, not from rotting meat, using covered and uncovered jars.

Theory of Biogenesis

Louis Pasteur's theory that microorganisms come from other microorganisms, disproving spontaneous generation.

Primordial Soup Hypothesis

1920s hypothesis proposing Earth's early atmosphere contained reactive gases that formed organic molecules.

Miller-Urey Experiment

1953 experiment simulating early Earth conditions, demonstrating that simple organic molecules can form from inorganic substances.

RNA

Considered the first genetic material, capable of storing information and catalyzing reactions, potentially key in early life.

Protocells

Primitive membrane-bound structures that may have led to the first living cells.

Endosymbiotic Theory

The theory that eukaryotic cells evolved from prokaryotic cells being absorbed by ancestral eukaryotes.

Natural Selection Principles

Key principles include variation, heritability, overproduction, and differential survival and reproduction.

Artificial Selection

Humans selectively breed organisms to enhance traits, such as in domesticated animals and crops.

Fossil Record

Historical sequences of organisms showing how species have changed over time.

Homologous Structures

Same structure with different functions, indicating common ancestry.

Analogous Structures

Different structures with the same function, evolved separately.

Vestigial Structures

Reduced or non-functional features providing evidence of ancestral traits.

Comparative Embryology

Study of similar embryonic development in different species, suggesting common ancestry.

Gradualism

Evolution occurring slowly over long periods, supported by continuous fossil changes.

Punctuated Equilibrium

Theory proposing long periods of stability interrupted by rapid evolutionary change.

Adaptation

Heritable trait enhancing survival and reproductive success in a specific environment.

Fitness

An organism's ability to survive and reproduce in its environment.

Camouflage

Adaptation allowing organisms to blend into their surroundings for protection.

Mimicry

Adaptation where a harmless species resembles a harmful one, providing protection.

Physiological Adaptations

Internal changes improving survival, such as hibernation or antibiotic resistance.