How did life get its start here? Where did it begin? It’s hard to answer these questions precisely, but it’s clear the earliest living beings arose from chemical origins. Some suspect it began as mats of organic molecules in shallow ponds. Others suggest that life, which needs water, warmth, and organic (carbon-containing) material to survive, began in the deep oceans around volcanic vents. Still others think that complex organic molecules in our atmosphere were energized by lightning strikes, which sent them down the road toward
