UPSC » UPSC CSE Study Materials » General Awareness » Origin of the Earth – II

Origin of the Earth – II

The word "evolution" is often used to describe the evolutionary biology of living things. The arrival of Homo sapiens marks the end of a seven-million-year evolutionary biology journey.

The arrival of Homo sapiens marks the end of a seven-million-year evolutionary biology journey. Human footprints of evolution have been discovered owing to research in morphology, embryology, physiology, and fossil records. Man is a member of the Hominidae family, part of the Primates order. Apes are included in the order that includes humans and their closest relatives. With time, their forefathers grew up and became increasingly distinct. It is widely accepted that Africa was the beginning point for our forefathers’ migration to other areas, including Europe, Asia, and the rest of the world. Let us explore the origin of the Earth.

Origin of the Earth: A Brief Overview

The word “evolution” is often used to describe the evolutionary biology of living things. On the other hand, evolution refers to the processes through which planets, stars, galaxies, and the cosmos create and change over time. Each situation has changed, but the procedures involved are somewhat different. Earth will always be the most accessible living planet for scientific research. Studying life’s origins, early development, and the long-term history of Earth’s habitats enables us to comprehend why the Earth became habitable and why terrestrial life has survived for billions of years. Alternative examples of “habitable planets” include the early conditions on Earth, which were considerably different from what we have now. Over the last 4 billion years, the brightness of the Sun has constantly grown by 25-30%, as has the abundance of greenhouse gases, many of which are created by bacteria.

Biological Evolution: What Is It?

Evolution is the most basic and well-proven idea. In the nineteenth century, Charles Darwin (1809–1882) accumulated considerable evidence in its favour, but data from all biological domains have been regularly collected since then. Evolutionary biology is concerned with three issues:

  • The evolutionary origins of life are now as definite as the Earth’s roundness, the movements of the planets, and the chemical composition of matter. This conviction is shown when scientists proclaimed evolution accurate; almost every biologist recognises life’s evolutionary origin
  • Evolutionary history is when lineages split, and changes occur within each family. The theory of evolution aims to demonstrate evolutionary connections between individual creatures and historical events. Many evolutionary results are well-known, such as that chimpanzees and gorillas are closer to humans than baboons and other primates. The exact genesis of life on Earth and the creation of multicellular animals, plants, and fungi remain unknown
  • The strategies or processes by which evolutionary change happens emphasise this essay on the mechanisms of evolutionary change after a quick examination of the data establishing evolution’s reality

Origin and Evolution of Man

Biologists use morphology, physiology, embryology, and fossil data to study the origins of man. Man developed from an unknown species and reached the pinnacle of technological advancement.

Man belongs to the Hominidae family of the Primate order and varies from other anthropoid apes in the following ways: Greater functional ability and brain capacity (gorillas have the highest capacity at 650 ccs, while humans have the lowest capacity at 1000 cc). The case of the brain is bigger than the face.

The lower jaw is less pronounced, and the face is flatter. The scalp’s long hair and the body’s scant, short hair continue to grow long legs with an opposable big toe and generalised hands with well-developed thumbs. Humans are bipedal animals that walk on two feet on the ground, and they are superior to all other creatures because they possess “human-like characteristics.”

Mutations are Essential for Evolution

Contaminants may cause mutations in the environment or high-energy sources like radiation. They may also arise as a result of DNA replication. Genetic changes include mutations, and evolution depends on them. Every genetic trait in every creature arose from a mutation at first. New genetic diversity (allele) is handed down via reproduction, with differential reproduction being a key component of evolution. It’s simple to see how a mutation that boosts an organism’s ability to eat, develop, or reproduce may make the mutant allele more frequent over time. The population might quickly be ecologically and physiologically distinct from the original population, which lacked adaptability. Even harmful mutations may affect evolutionary biology by eliminating people with adaptive alleles at other genes, particularly in small populations.

Conclusion

The study of the biological evolution of organisms is known as evolutionary biology. Evolution theory aims to demonstrate links between the evolution of individual organisms and historical events. Genetic changes include mutations that are required for evolution. Even harmful mutations may impact biological evolution by eliminating people with adaptive alleles in other genes, particularly in small populations—evolution results from changes that cause a species to adapt to its surroundings or go extinct. Genetic changes include mutations throughout time in every species, leading to evolution, affecting the whole population of the same species rather than a single person.

faq

Frequently asked questions

Get answers to the most common queries related to the UPSC Examination Preparation.

What function do genetic mutations have in the evolution of organisms?

Answer. Genetic changes include mutations to lead the species towards evolution. Evolution is propelled by mu...Read full

Is it true that all mutations are linked to evolution?

Answer. The DNA of an organism influences its appearance, behaviour, and physiology. As a result, alterations in an ...Read full

What is the relevance of evolutionary biology?

Answer. The study of life’s history and the mechanisms that give birth to its variety is known as evolu...Read full

What is the origin of our Earth?

Answer. By accretion from the solar nebula, Earth was created 4.54 billion years ago, or about one-third the age of ...Read full