Reference: Postulate Mechanics (PM)
Biology is preceded by Chemistry. To understand life one must understand the chemical reactions.
- Virus and cells are elemental life organisms of various kinds.
- They operate according to the biological information encoded in their genetic materials.
- Genetic material consists of large molecules called DNA and RNA.
- These molecules can be chemically synthesized in a lab having similar properties.
- But synthetic genetic materials are limited by their error rate.
- The errors come of lack of harmony with the environment.
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Chemical Reactions
In chemical reactions we have bonds between atoms form and break. Atoms combine into an incredible variety of molecules New molecules bring about new properties. In these molecules, the combining atoms do not lose their identity since their nuclei remain the same. However, the electronic regions combine acquiring new dynamics, which generate new properties.
In these chemical reactions, the environment, which consists of energy and thought, is just as important as the reacting atoms and molecules. Even when the resulting products of a reaction are chemically the same, there are imperceptible differences due to different environments. The lab environment is different from the natural environment. This may explain the limitation of synthetic genetic materials.
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Organic Molecules
Organic molecules arose through both terrestrial synthesis on early Earth and delivery from space, with multiple energy sources driving their formation from simpler inorganic compounds.
On early Earth, organic molecules formed through chemical reactions between inorganic compounds when exposed to energy sources like ultraviolet radiation, lightning, and volcanic heat. Organic molecules also formed in space and were delivered to Earth via meteorites, comets, and asteroids.
The simple organic molecules then polymerized into larger biomolecules in environments like hydrothermal pools. A critical transition occurred with the emergence of RNA molecules capable of both storing genetic information and catalyzing chemical reactions. Appropriate conditions of pH, temperature, and salt concentration led to membrane-bounded structures that enclosed self-replicating molecules, creating integrated systems with both genetic material and metabolic compartments.
The emergence of true cells required the acquisition of self-contained systems for energy production, protein synthesis, and metabolic regulation.
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Genetic material
Genetic material is the hereditary substance—primarily DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) or RNA in some viruses—that carries all information specific to an organism, directing growth, development, and function. It is typically structured as a double helix, composed of nucleotides that replicate for inheritance. A nucleotide is the basic building block of DNA.
Hereditary refers to traits, characteristics, or diseases passed genetically from parents to offspring. It describes anything inherited, whether it is a trait like eye color, or a medical condition. An important source of hereditary medical condition is unassimilated sensations, such as those from traumas, which get impressed upon the genes and last for generations until assimilated.
Modern synthetic biology allows the construction of DNA (and to some extent RNA) from scratch, without copying it from an existing organism. However, such synthetic DNA suffers from practical limits due to error rate, which increases with length and complexity.
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Key Characteristics
All living organisms are composed of one or more cells, which are the basic structural and functional units of life. These cells contain specialized, coordinated parts that work together in a highly organized manner
Living things obtain and use energy to power their life processes through chemical reactions. Organisms use enzymes to speed up and mediate these metabolic reactions, breaking down nutrients to fuel growth, movement, and other activities.
Organisms maintain a relatively stable internal environment despite external changes. This regulation allows living things to keep conditions like temperature, pH, and water balance within optimal ranges necessary for survival.
Living organisms increase in size and complexity over time according to specific instructions encoded in their genetic material. This process follows predictable patterns as organisms mature from simpler to more complex forms.
All living things have the ability to produce new offspring, either sexually or asexually, allowing them to perpetuate their species. This characteristic ensures the continuity of life across generations.
Organisms can detect and respond to changes in their environment, a property sometimes called sensitivity or irritability. This responsiveness allows living things to react appropriately to light, temperature, chemicals, and other environmental factors.
Living things store hereditary information in DNA and pass genetic traits to offspring. Populations of organisms adapt to their environment over time through evolution, changing across generations in response to selective pressures.
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Postulate Mechanics
Postulate Mechanics brings to fore the importance of the environment. From a simple chemical reaction to the most complex life organism, the role of environment matters greatly.
This environment consists of matter, energy and thought, like the organism itself. There are interactions not only at the level of matter and energy, but also at the level of thought. None of these levels can be ignored, or considered separate and exclusive.
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