Earths History

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differentiation

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The separation of Earth into layers based on density

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outgassing

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release or give off (a substance) as a gas or vapor.

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paleontologist

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do the same thing, but with an emphasis on the history of life, especially as it is understood from fossils.

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amino acid

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are the building blocks of life because they create proteins.

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craton

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The earliest felsic continental crust is now found in the ancient cores of continents

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cyanobacteria

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The oldest known fossils that are from organisms known to photosynthesize

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eukaryote

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Eukaryotic cells have a nucleus that encloses their DNA and RNA. All complex cells and nearly all multi-celled animals are eukaryotic.

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paleogeography

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the study of geographical features at particular times in the geological past.

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photosynthesis

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allowed organisms to use sunlight and inorganic molecules, such as carbon dioxide and water, to create chemical energy that they could use for food. To photosynthesize, a cell needs chloroplasts

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platform

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In most places the cratons were covered by younger rocks, which together

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prokaryote

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have a cell membrane, they lack a cell nucleus and other organelles. Without a nucleus, RNA was loose within the cell. Over time the cells became more complex.

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RNA world hypothesis

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The idea that RNA is the most primitive organic molecule

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shield

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Places the craton crops out at the surface is known

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stromatolites

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Many cyanobacteria lived in reef-like structures known

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adaptation

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the action or process of adapting or being adapted.

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adaptive radiation

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the diversification of a group of organisms into forms filling different ecological niches.

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amniote egg

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has a shell and contains all the nutrients and water required for the developing embryo.

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evolution

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Changes in the genetic makeup of a species over time are known as biological

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mutation

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the variation may already exist within the population, but often the variation comes from

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natural selection

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The mechanism for change in a population of organisms is

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extinct

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having no living members.

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greenstone

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a greenish igneous rock containing feldspar and hornblende.

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LUCA

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The last life form that was the ancestor to all life that came afterward is

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metabolism

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the chemical processes that occur within a living organism in order to maintain life.

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microbe

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a microorganism, especially a bacterium causing disease or fermentation.

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microcontinent

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an isolated fragment of continental crust forming part of a small crust plate.

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nucleic acid

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a complex organic substance present in living cells, especially DNA or RNA, whose molecules consist of many nucleotides linked in a long chain.

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supercontinent

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each of several large landmasses (notably Pangaea, Gondwana, and Laurasia) thought to have divided to form the present continents in the geological past.

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symbiotic

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refers to any diverse organisms that live together, but in this case, the relationship is not necessarily beneficial to both.

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facies

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the character of a rock expressed by its formation, composition, and fossil content.

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marine regression

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is a geological process occurring when areas of submerged seafloor are exposed above the sea level.

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marine transgression

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is a geologic event during which sea level rises relative to the land and the shoreline moves toward higher ground, resulting in flooding.

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orogeny

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a process in which a section of the earth's crust is folded and deformed by lateral compression to form a mountain range.

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paleontologist

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is a scientist who studies fossils. If your basement is filled with fossils found while out on hikes, then you're an amateur paleontologist.

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tropical

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of, typical of, or peculiar to the tropics.

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variation

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a change or difference in condition, amount, or level, typically with certain limits.