The origin of life is one of the great mysteries in the Universe. To determine the origin of life, scientists are investigating the problem in several different ways. Some scientists are studying life on our own planet. Some scientists are seeking out life or fossil life on other planets or moons in our solar system. And other scientists are trying to detect life in other solar systems, either by measuring life's effects on the atmospheres of distant planets or by measuring artificial radiation like radio signals that may be produced by advanced life.
Thus far, the most fruitful approach has been to examine life on our own planet. We know that life began at least 3.5 billion years ago, because that is the age of the oldest rocks with fossil evidence of life on earth.
Chemical traces of life have also been detected in slightly older rocks. In Greenland, a series of ancient metamorphosed sediments have been found. Analyses indicate the sediments were deposited about 3.8 billion years ago. They also revealed carbon isotope signatures that appear to have been produced by organisms that lived when the sediments were deposited.
In all cases, life as we understand it must have water. This general rule is true on Earth and is thought to be true elsewhere in the solar system. Currently, life is being sought on Mars where water may have once flowed on the surface and Europa where a subterranean sea of water may exist beneath its icy surface.
If one analyzes the genetic information in a variety of modern organisms living on Earth, one can begin to group and separate organisms based on their common (or disparate) properties. This type of analyses is intuitive at some levels. For example, most people recognize that mule deer and white tail deer are more closely related than mule deer and grizzly bears.
Consequently, in a tree of life, mule deer would appear closer to white tail deer than grizzly bears. This same process can be applied to all organisms and has led to three large domains of life: Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya. Humans, as well as other complex mammals, are part of the Eukarya group. If one traces the genetic information in organisms in all three groups, it appears they have a common ancestor or at least ancestors that share a common set of traits. In either case, it appears the earlist form of life in the tree of life were thermophilic or hyperthermophilic organism, which means they lived in systems composed of hot water.
Hot water systems are called hydrothermal systems. These can be found in areas of volcanic activity where hot molten rock beneath the surface heats groundwater. Hydrothermal systems produce hot springs and geysers at the surface. Good examples include Yellowstone on the United States and Rotorua in New Zealand.
Recently, scientists at the University of Arizona have been investigating impact-generated hydrothermal systems. The energy deposited by an impact event is so great that it can easily heat water and cause it to circulate through the Earth's crust. Examples of impact-generated systems have been found at several impact craters around the world. And although none of them are active today, they likely produced hot springs and geysers similar to those produced by magmatic activity beneath the surface of the Earth.
Early in Earth's history, both volcanism and impact cratering were very common processes. So both may have provided the environments needed to transform disparate chemical compounds into living organisms and may have provided a suitable habitat for that life to evolve.
This was the fact known to the world may be a few decades ago. It took years of hard work for human to conclude that life on earth originated from water. Scientists may experience utmost pride that they have discovered a very ancient hidden fact about how the very first organism came to existence on this earth. But to their astonishment Allah has revealed this fact 14 centuries ago.
This should not be a surprise to man as it is simple logic that a creator can explain his creation in a much better way when compared to his very own creatures.
Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the earth were of one piece, then We parted them, and we made every living thing of water? Will they not then believe? [21:30]
This ayah of the Quran clearly indicates that the heavens and the earth were joined together or formed an integrated mass. They were closed up in a sense that there was no rain-water coming from the sky on the earth, therefore plants and vegetation did not grow on the surface of the earth. When Allah created life on the earth, He sent down from the sky rain-water which is the ultimate support, direct or indirect, of all life on the earth.
Allah hath created every animal of water. Of them is (a kind) that goeth upon its belly and (a kind) that goeth upon two legs and (a kind) that goeth upon four. Allah createth what He will. Lo! Allah is Able to do all things.[24:45]
Here the Quran describes water was used not only to originate the life but also for the continuation of life. Not just the very first organism but the complete progeny is formed from water. Well we all know that when the very first unicellular organism was formed it propagated by binary fission. Then what role did water play here?
The study of living organisms states that all cells are composed of protoplasm. Protoplasm is a viscous fluid which contains 80% of water. Research has revealed that living organisms consist of 50% to 90% of water. Also water is an important commodity for the existence of life.
But what about higher organisms who do not reproduce through binary fission but the process of reproduction is a very complex one involving the egg and the sperm?
And He it is Who hath created man from water, and hath appointed for him kindred by blood and kindred by marriage; for thy Lord is ever Powerful. [25:54]
Even here water has a role to play as the sperm consists of plasma/ protoplasm which constitutes 90% of water.
Reproduction, be it asexual or sexual, constitutes a complex procedure involving many macromolecules like DNA (Deoxyribo Nucleic Acid), RNA (Ribo Nucleic Acid), and proteins. These molecules together produce the various cell constituents. The functioning of these complex molecules is dependent on still another molecule, WATER.
The hydrophobic effect and hydrogen bonds are of prime importance in the stability of proteins and water is an actor in these contributions to protein structure and stability. The water molecule forms hydrogen bonds with the protein molecule in turn resulting in the stability of the protein molecule.
The role of water in the stabilization of the 3D structure of nucleic acids is even more important than in proteins because of the presence of negatively charged phosphate groups. Phosphate-phosphate electrostatic repulsion is diminished in water by the high dielectric constant of water. Like in proteins, water is an integral part of nucleic acid structures. A shell of hydration, impermeable to cations, is located around DNA double helices [18]. It consists of about 18-19 water molecules per nucleotide in B-DNA and of about 13-14 in A-DNA. These water molecules are specifically bound to the phosphate groups and to the bases.
Water was not just responsible for the origin of life but also responsible for its continuation in nature. Imagining existence of life without water is impossible. this was explained to mankind 14 centuries ago. But it took so long for him to understand it.
