Hi Naomi, I have been looking through your learning document and you have made a fantastic effort and raised lots of interesting questions. On the origins of life you are right that this is still a great mystery. Possibly the very earliest stage, before there were any cells, was a molecule sort of like RNA that could make copies of itself. These could then mutate and slightly different versions might have been able to survive to make more copies, starting the long process to get to the first complex cell.
Jump forward a billion years or two and we now have lots of complex organisms made up of billions or trillions of cells. You were right about the zebrafish - they grow as they add more cells. Same for you - you started out as a single cell and when you reach adulthood will be made up of about 37 trillion cells. Keep up the great learning.
Hi Naomi,
ReplyDeleteI have been looking through your learning document and you have made a fantastic effort and raised lots of interesting questions. On the origins of life you are right that this is still a great mystery. Possibly the very earliest stage, before there were any cells, was a molecule sort of like RNA that could make copies of itself. These could then mutate and slightly different versions might have been able to survive to make more copies, starting the long process to get to the first complex cell.
Jump forward a billion years or two and we now have lots of complex organisms made up of billions or trillions of cells. You were right about the zebrafish - they grow as they add more cells. Same for you - you started out as a single cell and when you reach adulthood will be made up of about 37 trillion cells. Keep up the great learning.