BI110 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Cueva De Villa Luz, Abiogenesis, Extremophile
Document Summary
Mexico cueva de villa luz cave walls drip with slime. The slime dripping from the walls are called snotites . Bacteria that produce snotites, sword sh, humans, hydrangeas evolved from a common ancestor. All cells require and archive of information, membrane and ability to gather materials and harness energy. Cells information archive is dna and life wouldn"t exist without it. Evidence is showing that rna stored information in early cells and catalyzed chemical reactions. Living things must have a barrier that separates them from the environment. Membranes were at rst very simple, but as time passed variations arose and natural selection allowed for less leaking. Living things are also able to harness energy from the environment. Researchers are interested in studying organisms in extreme environments. The snotites help understand when oxygen was less plentiful and hydrogen sul de was more abundant. There are still many steps that need to be made to understand life origins.
