Within those galaxies, the first stars ignited. These "nuclear furnaces" didn't just provide light; they were chemical factories, fusing simple hydrogen and helium into the heavier elements (like carbon and oxygen) necessary for life. 4. The Planetary Age
On at least one of these planets (ours!), simple atoms began linking up into complex molecules. This was the transition from "dead" matter to the intricate building blocks of life, like amino acids and DNA. 6. The Biological Age Epic of Evolution: Seven Ages of the Cosmos
Figure 3: Life's evolution from small to big. From Eric Chaisson's Epic of Evolution, illustrated by Lola Chaisson. Interestingly, capitalaspower.com Cosmic Evolution - Site Summary Within those galaxies, the first stars ignited