Biology 111: Lecture 4Fall 1998

Origin of Life/Origin of Humans

  1. Origin of Life
    1. Early earth
    2. First organic molecules
      1. Oparin/Haldane hypothesis
      2. Miller experiment
      3. Concentration of organic molecules
    3. First prokaryotic cells (3.5 billion years ago)
    4. Oxygen-rich atmosphere
    5. First eukaryotic cells (2 billion years ago)

  2. Origin of Homo sapiens
    1. Carbon dating
      1. Carbon-12 vs. carbon-14
      2. Living organisms
      3. Dead organisms
    2. Primate evolution (70 million years ago)
      1. Ancestor: tree-dwelling, shrew-like mammal
      2. Opposable, individually mobile, digits
      3. Flattened nails
      4. Eyes facing forward, overlapping vision
      5. Enlarged, highly-developed brain
    3. Modern human evolution (1.5 million years ago)
      1. Bipedalism
      2. Ancestor: Homo erectus


"What's your line? Tell me why you wear your cross of gold.
State of mind? Or does it find a way into your soul?
Is it a flame? Is it a passion? A symbol of love living in you?
Or is it a game? Religion in fashion? Some kind of phase you're going thru?"		Michael W. Smith, Cross of Gold