If you tabulate the hypotheses of the origin of life on Earth, invented at different times, A4 sheet is not enough for it, so many different options and theories have been developed by people for a long time. The three main and largest groups of assumptions are the connection with the divine essence, natural evolution and cosmic settlement. Each option has followers and opponents, but the main scientific option is the theory of biochemistry. Consider different systems and ideas about how organic life originated on our planet.
It itself
One of the options for explaining the origin and development of life on Earth is spontaneous generation. For the first time such ideas were born a very, very long time ago. According to scientists, the start of everything was inanimate matter, and it was from it that organic matter appeared. Numerous experiments were organized, the task of which was eitherconfirm the correctness of the assumption, or disprove it. At one time, Pasteur was given a prize for experiments with boiling broth in a flask, since they made it possible to prove that life comes only from the living. But this did not answer the question of where the very organisms that started the process came from.
Outside Forces
For a long time there have been ideas in society about the origin of life on Earth, explaining everything by divine intervention. Presumably, all life on the planet appeared at once, and this happened because some higher being expressed its will and used its unique power. This creature must have incredible strength, abilities incomprehensible to humans. Who exactly created life, opinions differ. Some call the creator the Absolute, others call it the supreme deity, some kind of great mind.
For the first time such an explanation was invented in ancient times. The religions of the world are based on just such an assumption. At the moment, it has not been possible to refute the assumption, since there is no unambiguous scientific answer that can explain all the processes and phenomena that are observed on our planet.
Panspermia and stationarity
One of the options that gives an idea of what is the origin of human life on Earth, how other types and forms of organic life appeared, is supposed to consider space as a kind of permanent, stable object. Eternity becomes a permanent state, and life is only within it. She is able to move between different planets. Presumablytravel realized through meteorites. True, astrophysicists have proven that the universe was formed 16 billion years, and the cause of this was the primary explosion. Such scientific calculations contradict the theory of panspermia, which does not prevent a number of followers from defending their case.
Biochemistry
In short, the hypothesis of the origin of life on Earth, associated with the specifics of biochemical processes, is the dominant one in the scientific world today. It was first formulated by the famous biochemist Oparin. Based on his work, life forms appeared due to the evolution of chemical interactions. Such reactions are the basis of organic life. Probably, the cosmic body (our planet) formed first, then the atmosphere. The next step in evolution was organic synthesis, reactions, the results of which were substances indispensable for our life. Millions, billions of years have gone into the evolution of species and the formation of the diversity of life that can be observed at the present time.
The correctness of this theory is confirmed by a number of scientific experiments. Although it is currently considered the main one, there are a number of opponents who disagree with the explanation.
Darwin: The Beginning
For the first time, the landmark work of this scientist, who forever inscribed himself in the history of science of our civilization, was published in 1860. It was then that a publication appeared on the shelves of bookstores, which examined the scientific theory of the origin of life on Earth. Every educated person has heard of Darwin's ideas these days. As this outstanding scientist believed, man is a product of evolution, the result ofbrutal natural selection. Presumably, our species originated from monkeys, and the conditions of existence and the nuances of development, random features and environment allowed the mind to arise. Whether Darwin was right or wrong, opinions still differ to this day. Many are convinced that the evidence for the theory is inconclusive, so accepting it is unwise.
Experiments and theories: there are also strange ones
If you bring all the known theories of the origin of life on Earth into a table, the individual lines in it, for sure, will cause a smile or considerable surprise in an educated person. For example, in the seventeenth century, the scientist Helmont reported that he was able to recreate a mouse in only three weeks. To succeed, I had to take wheat, a soiled shirt, and the experiment was carried out in a dark closet. According to Helmont's theory, the key success factor was human sweat, which is the main driving force of life. According to this seventeenth-century scholar, through sweat, the inanimate is reborn into the living. Developing his theory, the researcher considered that the swamp was the source of the origin of the frogs, and the worms appeared from the soil. True, it was not possible to find out what became the foundation for the appearance of man.
In 1865, for the first time, the theory of the origin of life on Earth was briefly voiced, suggesting that an explanation be sought in outer space. The author was a scientist from Germany - Richter. According to his assumption, living cells entered our planet with meteorites and dust from outer space. One of the factors that suggeststhat there is a grain of truth in this hypothesis - the increased resistance of a number of organisms to radiation and low temperatures. However, there are no real facts that could form a noteworthy evidence base.
Sick and he althy, true and false
As you can learn from world history, they talked and argued about the origin of life on Earth, discussed a lot, did no less experiments. In 1973, the light saw a new theory, the authors of which were Orgel, Creek. They suggested that organic life on the planet is the result of deliberate contamination. Scientists believed that drones adapted for space flights were sent to Earth, and it was with them that the cells penetrated. Probably, all this was organized by some alien highly developed civilization, which was threatened with a catastrophe, perhaps complete destruction due to an insurmountable factor. The people who inhabit our planet today, according to Creek and Orgel, are the distant descendants of that alien civilization.
Since the development of ideas about the origin of life on Earth had a multi-stage character, the most amazing assumptions were born in different periods of the progress of social and natural sciences. For example, some are convinced that there is nothing real around, and in fact the universe is just a matrix. If you follow this assumption, people do not really have bodies. These are some peculiar entities that, due to being in the matrix, only gain skills.
Water and air
Awesomea view on the origin of life on Earth was from Hardy, a specialist in the field of biology. As a foundation for his reasoning, he used the calculations of Darwin. Hardy suggested that the ancestor of man was a water-dwelling hydropithecus monkey.
No less strange to many scientists is the idea that bats existed on the planet earlier, and it is from them that the human race originates. As proof of this theory, the artifacts of the Sumerian civilization that have survived to this day are given. Since that time, many images of strange bats have been preserved. You can mostly see them on seals.
Another curious theory suggests that man was originally created by the gods, and the first individuals had signs of both sexes. To this day, this idea of the origin and the initial stages of life on Earth has come down thanks to the myths of ancient Greece. From them one can learn that the divine beings created man, and one can read the description of this first type in Plato's "Feast". The body of each individual was spherical, with four arms and legs, and a pair of identical faces was present on the head. The creatures turned out to be proud and power-hungry, they tried to take the position of the gods, for which they were punished by separation. As the legend goes, Zeus cut everyone in half, and since then and to this day, every person lives in search of his soulmate.
Geno-, holobiosis
Genobiosis is a variant of the explanation of the origin of life, which is based on the primacy of molecules in which the genetic code is written. Holobiosis is a term for an idea.the primacy of structures capable of metabolism through enzymes. These two approaches differ primarily in the assessment of the primacy of one or another factor. Both are considered scientific and deserve some attention.
Oparin's ideas
This scientific origin of life on Earth is also associated with the name of the outstanding scientist Haldane. Back in 1924, Oparin, who did not yet have the status of an academician, published an article in which he considered the features of the formation of organic life. In 1938, the material was translated into English, and it immediately aroused public interest. Oparin considered that when using a concentrated liquid with macromolecular compounds, it is possible to obtain zones of especially high concentration, which form spontaneously. Such areas stand out from the general environment and can enter into chemical and energy exchange with it. It was decided to call such formations coacervates.
Oparin suggested that the emergence of organic life happened in stages. First, organic compounds appeared, the next step was the formation of protein molecules, and the final step was the calculation of protein bodies. In many ways, this theory is based on previous studies of cosmic bodies. The works of astronomers show that the systems of planets and stars are formed by gas and dust matter, which contains metals, oxides, ammonia, methane, water, hydrogen. When the primary ocean appeared on our planet, conditions were created along with it in which organic life could appear. Hydrocarbons in liquids could enter into chemical interactions, including complexly structured reactions and transformations. Gradually, the molecules became more complex, leading to the formation of carbohydrates.
Step by step to the truth
Developing his theory about the origin of life on Earth, Oparin was able to prove that ultraviolet radiation is a sufficient condition for the formation of amino acids and a number of other biochemical compounds important for organic life. It was possible to achieve the reaction under artificial conditions. In order for protein bodies to form, coacervates had to appear. It is known that, under specific conditions, the water shell can be clearly defined, separating the molecule from the environment in which it is located. Molecules with such a shell could interact by connecting, and this became the mechanism for the appearance of multimolecular structures called coacervates. As further studies have shown, simple mixing of polymers also makes it possible to obtain such formations. Polymer molecules self-assembled into complex structural formations that could be seen under a microscope.
According to theoretical biology, the origin of life on Earth became possible, since coacervates are able to take matter from the environment. This type is called open systems. A catalyst can be included in a drop of coacervate (enzymes fall into this category), and this initiates a series of biochemical reactions. Among other diversity, the polymerization of monomers taken from the surrounding space is available. Drops receivethe ability to grow, add weight, crush. Coacervates, as studies have shown, are able to grow and multiply, metabolic processes are available to them. Evolution was realized through natural selection.
Continuing research
In biology, the hypotheses of the origin of life on Earth were tested in the 53rd, when Miller took up the experiments. A mixture of four molecules was created, which was placed in a closed space and began to be treated with an electric current. Analysis of the results showed that amino acids are formed with the participation of such a catalyst. The continuation of a series of experiments made it possible to obtain reactions, the results of which were nucleotides, sugars. This allowed scientists to authoritatively conclude that evolution is possible if there are coacervates, but independent reproduction of the system is not inherent.
Although the hypothesis of the origin of life on Earth received official justification, there were still some ambiguities. At first, scientists simply turned a blind eye to them. It was known that a successful molecular protein structure can appear in a coacervate, and the process does not have a clear system and proceeds randomly. In this way, for example, effective catalysts could be formed, due to which a particular coacervate could actively grow and multiply. At the same time, it was not possible to explain how such catalysts could be copied so that the next generation of coacervates could also use them. There was no explanation for the exact reproduction of singleprotein structures that have proven to be particularly effective.
Science and life
Although Oparin's idea became the main hypothesis of the origin of life on Earth, it cannot be admitted that there were enough ambiguities in it, especially at first. At the same time, scientists have conclusively established that spontaneous formation of highly concentrated droplets based on fatty compounds that appear in an abiogenic way is possible. This made it possible to react with so-called living solutions, that is, RNA molecules capable of reproducing themselves. Among them are ribozymes, under the influence of which fat synthesis is activated. Such a molecular community can rightfully be considered a living organism.
The origin of life on Earth in modern science is based on Oparin's theory, from which it follows that the original structures were protein, at the same time, a more progressive version of the hypothesis dominates in the minds of scientists. Its basis was the study of ribozymes, that is, those molecules that are characterized by enzymatic activity. These structures can simultaneously carry protein functionality and DNA, they store genetic information and activate biochemical reactions. Scientists suggested that RNA first appeared, in which there were no protein components at all, DNA. It was then that the autocatalytic cycle first appeared, the possibility of the existence of which is explained by ribozymes that catalyze the copying of themselves.
Spontaneous generation and versions of events
If we return to the long-formed concepts of the origin of life on Earth, it is necessarymention the ideas that dominated the Babylonians, Chinese and Egyptians. The theories that appeared in those ancient societies were close in essence to creationism, although they had a number of differences. Aristotle assured that there are such particles in which there is an active principle. From it, if you observe suitable external conditions, something living can appear. To some extent, it is difficult to challenge his calculations. For example, Aristotle was convinced that a fertilized egg contains such an active principle. On the other hand, the ancient scientist believed that it is also in decaying meat, and in the rays of sunlight - and this is already far from the truth.
If we evaluate the history of the development of hypotheses briefly, the origin of life on Earth as a scientific topic will have to be recognized as practically forbidden for a long time. This was due to the spread of Christianity as the dominant worldview. The sacred books of that period gave a detailed description of the emergence of life from the point of view of religion, and the idea of spontaneous generation faded into the background, although it was not completely abandoned. In 1688 Redi, a biologist from Italy, set up an interesting experiment on such a hypothesis. It seemed doubtful to him that spontaneous generation of life from anything is possible. So, having examined the decaying meat, he found that the worms in it are fly larvae. Further study of the living showed that life is formed from another life. It was called biogenesis.
Seeking the Truth
Although Redi's experiments seemed to give some idea of the impossibilityspontaneous origin of life on Earth, such a theory in itself still attracted the inquisitive minds of its time. Leeuwenhoek began his first studies using a microscope. The study of microscopic life forms suggested that spontaneous generation is still possible. At the same time, Leeuwenhoek refrained from arguing between those who adhered to different options, only conducting experiments of interest to him and reporting to the scientific community on their results. And yet, each new piece of information became food for heated discussions.
New steps in this direction became possible thanks to Pasteur's research. Trying to determine the features of the origin of life on Earth, the scientist conducted experiments with aquatic environments and found that bacteria are almost everywhere and everywhere. Even in a non-living environment, such life forms can appear if thorough sterilization is not carried out first. Various media were boiled in which microorganisms could appear, and, as the study showed, under certain conditions, all spores died. If at the same time it was possible to ensure the conditions for the non-ingress of bacteria from the outside, life did not arise. For his experiments, Pasteur invented a special glass apparatus. His work turned out to be the evidence base, thanks to which the idea of spontaneous generation of living things finally receded, and the theory of biogenesis came to replace it.
Theory of evolution
Explaining the origin of life on Earth, evolution has until recently been the main theory accepted in the scientific community. It is based on the workmembers of the Darwin family. Significant contributions were made by Erasmus, a doctor and naturalist by profession, who in 1790 proposed evolution as the main theory of the development of life, and his grandson Charles, whose name is now known to every educated inhabitant of the planet. The naturalist lived in the nineteenth century and drew attention to his person by systematizing significant information about the features of the existence of the living.
Evolutionary theory was not invented from scratch. By the time of the famous scientist's life, many considered Kant's ideas about cosmology as correct, as well as his ideas about time, infinity, mechanical laws that dominate our world. These laws have already been described by Newton. Lyell confirmed the idea of uniformitarianism, born in the 18th century, from which it followed that the Earth was formed over millions of years, it happened gradually and slowly, and some processes continue to this day. A three-volume combination devoted to the geological foundations was published. It first began to be published in 1830, by the 33rd all three volumes had been released.
Darwin: scientific calculations
Considering the origin of life on Earth, the scientist decided that the evolution of organic life is due to the mutual influence of natural selection, genetics and variability on each other. All three factors contribute, and as a result, organisms receive unique features that allow them to adapt to life in this world. Thus, new species are formed. To argue the position, it was enough to mention the presence of rudimentaryorgans, as well as the theory of embryo recapitulation. In total, the scientist formed a list of 180 rudiments inherent in man. This is the name of organs that, as the individual develops, have ceased to be significant, they can be removed. However, gradually, scientists who de alt with rudiments revealed new functionality of different parts of the body, discovering that a person does not have unnecessary parts in principle. The appendix was long thought to be the classic vestige, but today it is known to play a major role in the strength of the immune system, and research continues to establish its he alth significance.
Darwin's theory of the origin of life on Earth appealed to the idea of recapitulation of the embryo, but it was dispelled in the foreseeable future. This idea was first proposed by Haeckel in 1868. The main dogma was the fact of the similarity of canine, human four-week-old embryos. As studies of that time showed, the human embryo has an embryo of the tail and gill slits. But continued research made it clear that Haeckel forged images, for which he was recognized as a scientific fraud. However, the theory became untenable. However, in Soviet textbooks, right up to the very end of the existence of the state, one could see illustrations showing that the theory of recapitulation was correct. But in the rest of the world, the scientific community has long rejected such ideas.
Bioenergy-information exchange
Although many theories appeared a long time ago, and over time, the work of scientists is reduced to proving their inconsistency, there are also such assumptions and hypotheses that have arisen recently. Certainly,this is not a cosmic origin of life on Earth, but more complex concepts. One example is bioenergy-information exchange. For the first time such a term was proposed by biophysicists, bioenergetics and ecologists. The author of the phrase is Volchenko, who in the 89th delivered a report to an audience at a specialized all-Union conference. The event was held in the capital region. Bioenergy-informational exchange turned out to be a rather interesting area of research, scientists suggested that the universe is a single information space. It was assumed that there is a certain substratum, which simultaneously represents information and consciousness. This substance is the third form along with matter, energy.
According to the theory of bioenergy-information exchange, there is a certain general plan. As part of the confirmation, the calculations of astrophysicists are given, who proved that there are patterns between the universal structure, the possibility of organic life and the fundamental features of the world. In addition, all this is closely related to the constants, shapes and patterns identified by astrophysicists. According to the idea of bioenergy-information exchange, the universe is a living system in which consciousness is one of the most important factors.
Summing up
About where it came from and how organic life appeared on our planet, perhaps scientists will know exactly and in detail in the near future. Much will depend on which path science takes. A lot of money is being invested in biological, physical, and astrophysical research.resources, especially intellectual and temporary, so there has been some progress recently. At the same time, it cannot be said that scientists literally tomorrow will give the final answer to the question that has been worrying human minds for millennia.
