Evolutionary Magic V: Photosynthesis and the New Being
The creation of cyanobacteria, that used photosynthesis for the first time in the evolution of the universe, was a remarkable development. It occurred because of a food crisis. Let’s see what caused this magical development.
Before cyanobacteria, the ocean was populated by a small one-celled organism, a primitive form of bacteria, called a prokaryote. These were the first life forms the universe created and they were vulnerable. Lacking a nucleus, its DNA was left unprotected as free-floating molecules within its membrane.
These prokaryotes are so tiny that 100,000 of them could fit on the dot of this “i”. The first prokaryotes most likely lived near the ocean floor, feeding on various ocean chemicals emanating from deep ocean vents. These chemicals flowed into their fatty membranes as nourishment and flowed out again as excretion.
The Food Crisis
As these organisms multiplied through mitosis (cell division), they began to deplete the ocean of the nutrients (chemicals) they were feasting on. This created a food crisis with too many organisms chasing a shrinking food supply. It was Malthus before Malthus. These organisms had tapped out their environment. Once again, it looked like life was doomed. How would the universe get out of this predicament? Amazingly, it did.
Cyanobacteria and Photosynthesis
About 3.5 billion years ago, just when it looked like the food crisis was going to end the reign of the prokaryotes, the universe did something stupendous. It created a whole new organism that instead of feeding on the chemicals in the ocean took its energy directly from the Sun through photosynthesis, converting carbon dioxide and water into glucose, and expelling oxygen into the oceans as a byproduct.
This organism, called cyanobacteria, created the Earth’s first deadly pollutant in its expulsion of oxygen (O2) as a waste product. Oxygen destroyed everything it touched. Oxygen, you see, has only four of the eight electrons it needs to fill up its outer orbit so it must go about stealing electrons from other organisms and particles, killing them in the process. We’ll get to the oxygen crisis in the next article.
The Creation of Photosynthesis and Lesson One For Today
Now, let’s look a little closer at the remarkable development of photosynthesis in the universe story. In a moment of crisis, the universe in its infinite wisdom created a wholly different entity from anything it had created before.
It not only answered the crisis at that time, but clearly was an essential development for future evolution and our own emergence.
Without this unprecedented occurrence, we wouldn’t be here. Clearly, we stand on the shoulders of giant evolutionary leaps in our 13.8-billion-year journey. How can not we feel this is a part of who we are? This whole process is us. We are interconnected with everything.
Lesson Two For Today
The emergence of cyanobacteria and photosynthesis is critical for another reason.
Just as there was a life-threatening crisis some 3.5 billion years ago, so there is another one happening right now. We see it every day on the news in the effects of climate change, the Ukrainian War and all its fallout, the pandemic, and so on. All of it is making life increasingly difficult on this planet.
But just as the universe pulled photosynthesis out its hat to deal with that crisis 3.5 billion years ago, so we need another miracle from the universe, only this time, the universe can’t pull off this miracle alone. It needs the active involvement of humans. Since we, not the universe created this mess; only we, with the universe’s magic and wisdom, can solve it.
If enough of us do conspire with the universe to deal with our crises, what would the result be? What would the equivalent of the creation of photosynthesis be for us? No small act to follow. It’s hard to imagine. Just as I’m sure the one-celled prokaryotes, feeding off chemicals emanating from deep ocean vents, had no idea photosynthesis was on the horizon, so I’m equally sure we have no idea what’s on the horizon for us if we actively engage the wisdom of the universe.
Just Dare To Imagine
All we can to is dare to imagine. Imagination is one of the only tools we have left to confront these crises. There is no doubt that we, with the universe’s help, can pull a rabbit out of our own hats. The only question is, will enough of us make the effort. Will enough of us get out of the modern mindset that says we are separate from our environment, from each other, and ultimately from ourselves? That’s the big question.
Next time, we’ll take a deeper look at oxygen, the first great pollutant on earth and see how the universe handled that dilemma, once again, turning lemons into lemonade.
To learn more about the magic of the universe: Click this link: The Magical Universe.
Photo by Stefan Steinbauer on Unsplash
