CHED 759 |
| The chemical environment at the surface of the Earth has changed radically since life began. Most spectacularly, for nearly half of Earth's 4.5 billion year history the atmosphere and oceans contained little or no molecular oxygen. The transition from this anoxic world to the oxygenated world of today was a byproduct of oxygenic photosynthesis, which greatly increased the energy available to the biosphere. At the same time, this transition created profound biochemical challenges. Organisms had to evolve new strategies to combat oxidative damage and had to cope with changes in the distribution of redox-sensitive, bioessential elements such as N, Fe, Cu and Mo. This talk will present emerging chemical perspectives on this “co-evolution” of life and environment. |
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Chemical Evolution from Origins of Life to Modern Society
1:30 PM-4:55 PM, Monday, April 7, 2008 Hilton New Orleans Riverside -- Jasperwood, Oral
Division of Chemical Education |