Are all organisms relatives of each other?

  • Thread starter Richard87
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In summary, the conversation discusses the idea of all organisms being related due to the assumption that they came from a single original lifeform. However, this assumption may not be necessary as it is possible for life to have multiple origins and for organisms to be unrelated. The origin of DNA is also debated, with some suggesting it started with RNA. It is likely that hybrid compositions exist and that most organisms are viral and bacterial. Ultimately, it is believed that all life on Earth originated from stardust from a supernova and the universe itself.
  • #1
Richard87
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Assuming that all organisms came from a single original lifeform, wouldn't that mean that all organisms are cousins in one huge family?
 
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  • #2
Yes - although 'family' has a specific technical meaning in evolution
 
  • #3
Richard87 said:
Assuming that all organisms came from a single original lifeform, wouldn't that mean that all organisms are cousins in one huge family?

Well the way you've posed the question it would necessarily imply that they are all 'cousins' or 'relatives' at a distance. This is because you make the assumption that all organisms came from a single original lifeform.

I do not see why this assumption is necessary though... it's perfectly plausible that all lifeforms that have existed on Earth may have different branches if we go far enough back... making them completely unrelated to other organisms.

Why?

Well I think it's unlikely that in the beginning stages of life there was only one cell that had formed with characteristics which allowed it to spread/become dominant. Plus they possibly could have merged with other cells forming yet newer cells. I find it far fetched that the origins of life trace all the way back to a single organism for all lifeforms that have existed.
 
  • #4
zomgwtf said:
I do not see why this assumption is necessary though... it's perfectly plausible that all lifeforms that have existed on Earth may have different branches if we go far enough back... making them completely unrelated to other organisms.

All three branches of life archaea, bacteria, and eukaryote have DNA.
For your hypothesis to be true, life would have had to evolve in all three independantly in exactly the same way to create DNA with the same structure 3 times.

It is possible that life did start several times and even that completely unrelated forms existed at the same time (and haven't left any fossil record) but the DNA cell won out and all life today descended from it
 
  • #5
mgb_phys said:
All three branches of life archaea, bacteria, and eukaryote have DNA.
For your hypothesis to be true, life would have had to evolve in all three independantly in exactly the same way to create DNA with the same structure 3 times.

It is possible that life did start several times and even that completely unrelated forms existed at the same time (and haven't left any fossil record) but the DNA cell won out and all life today descended from it

Life started most likely with RNA and yeah since the molecules are floating around (amino acids) they will get gobbled up by cells and inside the cell all the magic happens.
 
  • #6
Assuming multiple origins of DNA or RNA based life upon the Earth originating locally or cosmologically, it is more than likely that hybrid compositions would be existant. Nearly all organisms are viral and bacterial with a distant minority of more complex experiments, so the subject in question is for the most part about these.
 
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  • #7
course we are, we all came from stardust from a supernovae, which in turn came from the universe which is our mother
 

1. Are all organisms related to each other?

Yes, all organisms on Earth are related to each other through a common ancestor. This means that all living things share a common genetic code and have evolved from a single origin.

2. How do we know that all organisms are relatives of each other?

Scientists use various methods such as DNA sequencing, fossil records, and comparative anatomy to study the relationships between different organisms. By analyzing these data, they have been able to trace the evolutionary history and establish the relatedness of all living things.

3. Are humans related to other organisms?

Yes, humans are related to other organisms in the animal kingdom. We share a common ancestor with other primates such as chimpanzees and gorillas. We also share a common ancestor with all other living things, including plants, animals, and microorganisms.

4. Are there any exceptions to the theory of common ancestry?

There is no scientific evidence to suggest that there are exceptions to the theory of common ancestry. All living things, from bacteria to plants to animals, share a common genetic code and have evolved from a single origin. This theory is supported by a vast amount of evidence from various fields of biology.

5. Can organisms from different kingdoms be related?

Yes, organisms from different kingdoms can be related. For example, humans are related to plants through a common ancestor, despite belonging to different kingdoms (Animalia and Plantae). This is because all living things are related through a common evolutionary history, regardless of their taxonomic classification.

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