How long have cells been around?
Cells first emerged at least 3.8 billion years ago [1] [2] [3] approximately 750 million years after Earth was formed. [4] The origin of cells was the most important step in the evolution of life on Earth. The birth of the cell marked the passage from pre-biotic chemistry to partitioned units resembling modern cells.
What was the first cell made of?
The earliest cells may have consisted of little more than RNA inside a lipid membrane. No doubt there were many early cells of this type. However, scientists think that only one early cell (or group of cells) eventually gave rise to all subsequent life on Earth. That one cell is called the Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA).
What is the evolution of cells?
Evolution of cells refers to the evolutionary origin and subsequent evolutionary development of cells. Cells first emerged at least 3.8 billion years ago [1] [2] [3] approximately 750 million years after Earth was formed. [4] The origin of cells was the most important step in the evolution of life on Earth.