Explore the origins and evolution of life on Earth in this 49-minute Royal Tyrrell Museum Speaker Series talk by Julius Csotonyi. Delve into the scientific evidence surrounding how life first emerged, examining extreme environments, early Earth conditions, and deep ocean habitats. Learn about the definition of life, the origins of phototrophy, and the development of crucial biological processes like cyclic electron transfer and ATP synthesis. Discover the importance of pigments as solar collectors and how bacteria absorb light. Investigate hydrothermal vents, stromatolites, and the process of terraforming. Understand the significance of oxygenation, the formation of the ozone layer, and the Snowball Earth hypothesis. Explore modern-day microbial communities, including those in Antarctica, and gain insights into the diverse microbial ecosystems that have shaped our planet's history.