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Evolution was chemically constrained.

R J P Williams1, J J R Fraústo Da Silva

  • 1Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QR, UK. bob.williams@chem.ox.ac.uk

Journal of Theoretical Biology
|December 7, 2002
PubMed
Summary

Biological evolution, driven by environmental chemistry, progressed inevitably from simple cells to humans. Human activities now represent the latest step in chemical evolution, impacting all organisms.

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Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Environmental Science

Background:

  • Biological evolution is traditionally viewed through genetic changes.
  • Internal cellular chemistry and spatial organization are key, yet underexplored, drivers.
  • Environmental chemical shifts profoundly influence evolutionary trajectories.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present a systems view of biological evolution driven by internal chemistry and cellular space.
  • To link evolutionary progression to environmental chemical changes, from reducing to oxidizing conditions.
  • To analyze the role of human-induced chemical changes as a potential final step in chemical evolution.

Main Methods:

  • Systemic analysis of major evolutionary transitions (prokaryotes to humans).
  • Examination of chemical environmental changes (reducing to oxidizing).
  • Assessment of internal cellular chemistry (equilibrium vs. kinetic control) and energy flow.

Main Results:

  • Evolutionary progression from prokaryotes to complex organisms, including humans, followed an inevitable chemical route.
  • Organisms retained reduced chemicals against an increasingly oxidizing environment.
  • Human activities have introduced novel, irreversible chemical changes, marking a new phase of chemical evolution.

Conclusions:

  • Biological evolution is a directed chemical process, not solely random chance.
  • Cellular chemistry, constrained by reduction and element availability, drives speciation within broader evolutionary trends.
  • Human-induced irreversible chemical alterations necessitate evaluation of their impact on organisms and the planet.

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