BI110 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Biotic Material, Reducing Atmosphere, Organic Compound
Document Summary
Module 73/74 origin and early evolution of life. The seven characteristics of life: display order, organisms produce different shapes and structures unique to that organism, right down to dna, specific genomes make specific organisms. Harness and utilize energy: be able to take up energy from eating or produce energy, reproduce, respond to stimuli, adjust structure, behaviours, etc. in response to environment/needs, ex. Plant opening pore in stomata to increase gas intake: exhibit homeostasis, organisms can regulate their internal environment to keep them relatively constant regardless of external environment, ex. Sweating, to keep body temperature down when external temperature increases: growth and development, evolve. Life is not a sum of these characteristics, it is emergent from these characteristics. Viruses have some characteristics of life: viruses display order (have genomes to code for it, viruses reproduce, viruses evolve. Although these characteristics are met, viruses are generally not considered alive.
