Origin of Life

The story of the Earth does not end with its physical formation. The final, and perhaps most remarkable, chapter, is the origin and evolution of life itself. To understand this, we must first recognise that the early Earth was a hostile place. Neither the planet's surface nor its atmosphere offered any conditions that could support living organisms. The very air and environment were unfit for life as we know it.

Modern science views the origin of life not as a sudden, magical event, but as a kind of chemical reaction. This reaction was a long, step-by-step process. First, it generated complex organic molecules from simpler, non-living substances. Then, these molecules were assembled into larger structures. The crucial breakthrough came when this assemblage gained the ability to duplicate itself. At that moment, inanimate matter was converted into living substance. This self-replication is the defining line between chemistry and biology. …