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Which of the following statements would support the abiogenesis hypothesis for the origin of life on Earth?

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Which of the following statements would support the abiogenesis hypothesis for the origin of life on Earth?

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

To evaluate which statement would support abiogenesis—the idea that life originated from non-living matter on Earth—we should consider how each option relates to the possibility of life arising from non-life under natural conditions.
Option 1: 'Extraterrestrial life is discovered that uses DNA and amino acids in a similar way to life on earth.' This would suggest that life elsewhere shares the same biochemistry as Earth life; while interesting, it does not directly bolster the claim that Earth life originated from non-living material through abiogenesis, since it could simply indicate a common, shared origin or convergent evolution rather than evidence about Earth’s own origin from non-living matter.
Option 2: 'Extraterrestrial life is discovered in a meteorite collected in space.' Finding life in a space meteorite would raise the possibility that life can travel between celestial bodies (panspermia) rather than form anew from non-living matter on Earth. While provocative, it does not provide direct evidence that Earth’s life began via abiogenesis on our planet.
Option 3: 'Life is found to have appeared suddenly on Earth, with single-cell life fully formed.' This would contradict the gradual process implied by abiogenesis and instead support a sudden appearance, which undermines the classic abiogenesis framework that envisions gradual chemical-to-biological transitions.
Option 4: 'Extraterrestrial life is discovered that uses a silicon-based information molecule, distinctly different from DNA.' This would demonstrate that life can operate with a fundamentally different chemical basis than Earth’s DNA/RNA/protein system. Such a finding would broaden our understanding of what is biologically possible and would, by implication, strengthen the plausibility that life could arise under diverse chemical conditions, including those that might lead to Earth-like abiogenesis. In other words, it expands the scope of chemical pathways that could yield living systems from non-living precursors, which aligns with the core concept of abiogenesis as a plausible route to life under appropriate conditions.
Therefore, among the options, the statement about extraterrestrial life using a silicon-based information molecule (Option 4) is the one that most directly supports the notion that life could originate from non-living matter under plausible chemical rules, reinforcing the broader concept of abiogenesis. The other options either invoke alternative explanations (panspermia), claim an abrupt appearance inconsistent with gradual abiogenesis, or describe life with the same chemistry as Earth, which does not directly bolster Earth-origin abiogenesis.

BIOL 1001 (001-013) Exam 3: Unit 3

CHOOSE THE BEST ANSWER Which of the following statements would support the abiogenesis hypothesis for the origin of life on Earth?

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