This video introduces the concept of chemical evolution as the origin of life, explaining that life developed from non-living matter. It details the hypothesis that this process involved the spontaneous formation of small organic molecules, which then combined to form macromolecules and eventually protocells. These protocells, characterized by a distinct internal environment, were capable of maintaining themselves separately from their surroundings, leading to the development of self-replicating molecules and inheritance. The video also notes that fossil evidence suggests the first microorganisms appeared approximately 3.5 billion years ago.
