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- Albert Einstein
The Origin of life on earth is from the core of the sun. There, continuous atomic explosions lead to the emergence of light. During these processes, hydrogen atoms collide with each other, helium is formed and tremendous amounts of energy are released, which are called gamma rays.
A gamma ray is a form of electromagnetic wave with a very short wave length. As it passes through the layers of the sun, gamma rays are absorbed and give rise to the emergence of x-rays. X-rays have a shorter wave length, but are still harmful to life.
During the journey from the core towards the surface of the sun, x-rays are furthermore filtrated and eventually are emitted in the form of light. Light radiates all around, among them, reaches the newly forming planet earth.
At the same time, the revolving and shaping earth from melted masses is cooling down gradually. Hydrogen which is the lightest particle escapes the earth’s gravity and contributes to the formation of its early atmosphere. Heavier elements, which were forged inside the exploding giant stars, form different layers of the earth. Light reaching the surface of this cooling planet leads to the formation and dispersion of new molecules over and over again.
Atoms, by their inherent contradictions, have no choice but to either move, change to molecules and survive or decay and die. However, due to the contradictory electrical charges of different atoms, tendency towards forming molecules prevails. Here lays the cornerstone of the formation of bigger chemical, organic and biological molecules leading to the emergence of life on earth.
Hydrogen and oxygen molecules, carbon dioxide, methane, ammonia and water are composed and then emitted to the earth’s atmosphere. Heavy rains, containing these dissolved gases, flushing from cooler atmosphere fill earth’s ditches and trenches to shape earlier seas and oceans. Severe electrical discharges striking from the lightening ionized clouds, volcano’s great explosions, tremendous hidden energies inside the rocks, radioactive waves, earth-core heat and sunshine get together and forcibly promote the formation of more complex molecules in this dashing stormy world, the earth.
On the earth, previously formed organic molecules are destroyed by the reaping ultraviolet beams of sunshine. But in the sea, nature had a chance to flourish.
Optimum temperature, availability of various elements, feasibility of chemical and biological reactions in a calm solution, and relative safeguard against ultraviolet beams made these phenomena possible.
Simple carbohydrates, lipids and proteins are formed and it took millions of years until purine bases like adenine and guanine; and pyrimidine bases like uracil, thymine and cytosine were composed. These bases in combination with ribose and phosphate formed different one stranded chains of ribonucleic acids, RNAs.
Yet again, millions of years were passed until by the help of hydrogen bonds and based on the RNA template, deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA is formed.
In the molecule of DNA, adenine joins thymine (in RNA, adenine joins uracil), and Guanine joins cytosine, pairing like a lock and key, and attract each other like a magnet and iron. That is why viruses attack other organisms to exploit their A, T or U, G and Cs for their reproduction. DNA is a package of coded information stud in the core of all organic cells from vegetables to animals, from prokaryotes to eukaryotes from amoebae to humans. The 4 letters in RNA or DNA, grouped in sixty four 3 letter-codes like AUG, CAG, AAG, GAC, … are capable of memorizing, utilizing and transferring data from one generation to the next, and from one species to another. These 3 letter sequences are similar to the notes of music, but here carry enormous types of physical, behavioral, and physiological characters.
DNA is able to recombine, replicate and be cloned. That is the reason behind forced continuation of life. To celebrate its reproduction time, DNA creates enormous diversity of flowers painted in amazing ranges of charming colors and ravishing with sweet-smelling aromas. Melodious birds and coquetry embellished animals singing and dancing in the best performance of their lives in these celebrations. To secure growth, and sound birth of its seeds, DNA deposits enough amounts of necessary foods around its package, in the eggs and fruits.
Life first became possible in the sea. Some of the living things consumed what was available and made the Vegetable Kingdom. Others went after the foods and built the Animal Kingdom – of course there are intermediary kingdoms too. It took millions of years until a very complicated molecule with very sophisticated functions evolved. This magnesium embedded molecule, the chlorophyll absorbs sun’s energy and synthesizes carbohydrate from water and CO2: photosynthesis.
Carbohydrates not only provide energy to sustain life, but also are metabolized to form alternative sources of energy, lipids and proteins. Lipids and proteins are also essential for making hormones, enzymes, vitamins, RNA, DNA, and whole new cells. These processes are governed by the codes of DNA: the genes.
By eating vegetables, herbivores consume the carbohydrates stored energy, change them to thermal, physical, chemical and biological energies necessary to survive and flourish.
Chlorophylls release CO2 during the night and O2 during the day. This O2 is diffused from the sea and drift to the atmosphere and build the Ozone Layer. The Ozone Layer protects the delicate life from the harmful effect of the sun’s ultraviolet ray.
Approximately 2 billion years ago, green vegetables covered most parts of the lands. According to the process of Darwin’s Natural Selection, vegetables like animals have to change to a fit one and evolve, or die in the presence of a hostile environment.
The remains of dead organisms are putrefied by the soil’s microscopic bacterium and make the lands more fertile. Vast forests and jungles contribute to the formation of moderate climate.
Aquatics which had continued their evolutionary path in the sea, rose their heads out of the water, looked around the land and amazed by the fresh air, abundance of food and gracefulness of the surrounding nature, some strived to crawl all over the earth.
Millions of years of their effort led to the amphibian way of life. Their grills changed to tracheal systems of insects and lungs of higher animals. They became the usual inhabitants of the planet.
New beings eagerly swarmed on the land, happily flied through the air, respired its fresh and plentiful oxygen through their lungs, fed themselves enough from the jungles, put and hatched their eggs, increased their population, diversified, killed other species to keep and expand their territories.
Some destroyed their own species by ruining their habitat; others were perished by the forces of nature. Their huge bodies were decomposed and turned the earth even more fertile and resourceful.
In this land of opportunity, a change in the molecule of hemocyanin and replacement of copper by iron, led to the formation of hemoglobin. This amazing mutation gave rise to the emergence of the most advanced branches of animals.
Hemoglobin molecule which is very similar to the chlorophyll molecule facilitates absorption, transfer and utilization of oxygen. New animals with relatively smaller bodies and capable of running faster, galloped the planet, quivered the land, and echoes of their clamors tumbled the rocks. Grassed the pastures, gave birth, breast-fed their babies and as they tasted the meat flavor, devoured the weaker and ate their flesh.
The abundance of proteins and lipids increased their sexual and physical activities. Their open demanding mouths got wider; as a result their preys became fugitives and scarce, forced them to fight against their competitors. They built their territories and guarded them strongly. Lurk in their hunting-grounds, tricked, showed gentle face, and at the rip time displayed other side of the coin, immense brutality.
While majority of animals tangled in their cycles of evolution, a branch of them broke the cycle, stood up-right, got a bigger brain, displayed more elegant thoughtful movements and lived a communal intelligent life.
In order to feed and defend themselves, they made tools and shelters. Man emerged and exploited the nature for his survival and well-being. But soon after under certain conditions, empowered by the genes of the jungle, the stronger extorted lands and tools, led to the exploitation of man by man.
Man is not a subject of Darwin’s process of Natural Selection. Man makes tools and shelters, by which he can protect himself against unfit environment, thus does not need to be changed to another species for survival. Life teaches man to change his society to a just one, through which he will be changed to a higher level of humanity!
The way we here briefed the fate of matter and the destiny of life, is called Dialectical Materialism.