Description
- Overview:
- Carl Woese and his colleagues proposed that all life on Earth evolved along three lineages, called domains. Two of the three domains—Bacteria and Archaea—are prokaryotic. Prokaryotes were the first inhabitants on Earth, appearing 3.5 to 3.8 billion years ago. These organisms are abundant and ubiquitous; that is, they are present everywhere. In addition to inhabiting moderate environments, they are found in extreme conditions: from boiling springs to permanently frozen environments in Antarctica; from salty environments like the Dead Sea to environments under tremendous pressure, such as the depths of the ocean; and from areas without oxygen, such as a waste management plant, to radioactively contaminated regions, such as Chernobyl. Prokaryotes reside in the human digestive system and on the skin, are responsible for certain illnesses, and serve an important role in the preparation of many foods.
- Subject:
- Biology
- Level:
- Community College / Lower Division, College / Upper Division
- Material Type:
- Module
- Author:
- OER Librarian
- Provider:
- Ohio Open Ed Collaborative
- Date Added:
- 05/11/2021
- License:
- Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike
- Language:
- English
- Media Format:
- Text/HTML
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