Special Topics in Evolution - Shmoop Introduction

Who are we? Where did we come from? Why are we here? What are mattress tags for? Everyone has theories on the subject, but this chapter will actually explain it. Did you want answers to life, the universe, and everything? Then you should check out Chapter 42.

Life is an endless struggle for existence, pitting individuals against each other, with only the strongest surviving. Wait…no. We're thinking about Candyland. In this chapter, we'll talk about how life could have come from a series of chemical reactions to form everything we see on Earth today. We'll also explain why some forms of life have come and gone (yay, dinosaurs), while others are still around today, no matter how much we try to get rid of them (boo, cockroaches). We'll also get to know our buddy Charles Darwin, a guy who many would say is for the birds, but we like him nonetheless. Finally, like a cat, we'll climb up the tree of life. There, we will wait to be rescued by a fireman of life.

In this chapter, we will discuss the origins of life, how life evolved into what we currently recognize it to be, and how scientists are still trying to figure out what this crazy game we call life is all about. Little do they know they could just make a phone call to Hasbro.