Curated OER
Creating Coacervates
Students create and observe coacervates. In this origin of life lesson, students create coacervates by mixing carbohydrate and protein solutions. They observe the life-like qualities of the structures and discuss the origin of life.
Curated OER
AP: Chapter 26: Origin of Life
Five pages take biologists on a generalized survey of the origin of life. Queries are made regarding theories of how life developed, ancient Earth conditions, and the ever-changing field of taxonomy. The experiments of different...
Curated OER
Introducing Evolution
The intent of this slide show is to introduce young biologists to evolution, specifically how populations change through time. The content does not support the stated objective. What you will find in this presentation is general...
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Dna From the Beginning: Higher Cells Have Ancient Dna
Eukaryotic cells have separate DNA from mitochondria and chloroplasts which indicates that they were once primitive cells on their own. This multimedia article includes animations, pictures, video, biographical information, and quiz...
![Story Behind the Science: Search for Life's Origins [Pdf] Article](https://d15y2dacu3jp90.cloudfront.net/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/FPO-knovation.png "Story Behind the Science: Search for Life's Origins [Pdf] Article")
Story Behind the Science
Story Behind the Science: Search for Life's Origins [Pdf]
Article describing research done by scientists in their quest to understand the origins of life. Questions are posed throughout about the nature of scientific research.
University of Oxford (UK)
University of Oxford: Origin of Life on Earth
Where did life come from? Features a 36-page exploration of the possibilities of special creation or spontaneous generation.
American Institute of Biological Sciences
Action Bioscience: Evolution: Fact and Theory
The theory of evolution is a theory which gives an explanation to a variety of known facts that justify the changes of nature over time. Explore the facts and theory offered in this article.
American Institute of Biological Sciences
Action Bioscience: Life From Space: An Emerging Paradigm
Recognize that some people believe that life on Earth came from outer space. Learn about the support for these ideas and what could happen if life would continue to arrive from space.
Society for Science and the Public
Science News for Students: Asteroid Impacts May Have Sparked Life
Article reports on a new study that claims that the energy released from asteroid collisions may have sparked life on Earth. Includes a list of key vocabulary.
Other
Stephen W. Hawking: Lectures: Life in the Universe
This lecture covers the topic of life now and into the future, including the role genetic engineering will play.
Other
Exploring Origins Project: Exploring Life's Origins
Explore life's evolutionary history on the planet through molecular illustrations and animations. Pictorial evidence is based on origin of life research and theory.
Untamed Science
Untamed Science: Biology: Evolution: History of Life: Origins
Learn about the scientific hypotheses of the origin of life on Earth. [5:55]
Stanford University
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Creationism
An entry from the Standard Encyclopedia of Philospohy that analyzes creationism from scientific, philosophical, and theological viewpoints and finds it lacking on all three measures.
University of Utah
University of Utah: Learn Genetics: Bringing Rna Into View
What molecules were involved in the origin of life? This series explores the roles of RNA, DNA, and protein. Special attention is given to RNA because of its ability to perform several tasks necessary for life processes. All of the...
Vision Learning
Visionlearning: Evolutionary Biology: Origins of Life: Early Ideas
An explanation of how life came into existence from early beliefs, such as panspermia, to more recent ideas like abiogenesis.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Intimate Strangers: Unseen Life on Earth
This PBS documentary provides an overview of the microbial world and offers an exciting glimpse into the field of microbiology. Meet scientists from around the world investigating the microbial world in diverse locations, from a...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Evolution and the Nature of Science Institutes
A collection of classroom lessons to help high school biology teachers teach evolution and the nature of science. This highly lab-oriented module is a very useful evolution and deep-time teaching site.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Introduction to Exobiology
Featured is a tutorial on exobiology and the origins of life. The tutorial covers the nature of prebiotic Earth, the Miller-Urey experiment, possible sites for the origin of life, the search for extraterrestrial life, politics in...
Estrella Mountain Community College
Online Biology Book: Cells: Origins
Through full-color images and concise information, learn about the origin of cells. Discover some of the notable studies surrounding the history of life on Earth.
American Institute of Biological Sciences
Action Bioscience: Evidence of Evolutionary Transitions
Charles Darwin's theory that all living organisms are connected in some way has been confirmed through intense studies over centuries. Understand the similarities that bond all things living to the same family tree by checking out this...
Open Curriculum
Open Curriculum: Early Life
The aim of this article relates the nature of science to our current understanding of the origin of life and describe the formation of the atoms which build the Earth and its life.
PBS
Nova: The Origins Game
This resource provides information about the origin of the universe, the earth and the organisms that live here. You will also be challenged to identify the geographic areas where origins research is taking place.
McGraw Hill
Glencoe Biology: The Origin of Life: Self Check Quiz
This multiple-choice quiz on the origin of life allows students to get hints for each question and check their answers after submitting.