Suppose a space probe is successful in discovering a living organism on a distant planet.Which would be the best approach to collect data that would show whether this organism shares a common origin with Earth organisms?
A) Observe the organism's reproduction rate.
B) Test the organism's ability to adapt to an Earth environment.
C) Analyze the chemical makeup of the organism's genome.
D) Determine whether the organism can use oxygen in its metabolism.
E) Investigate whether a population of that type of organism is able to undergo evolutionary change.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Analyzing the chemical makeup of the organism's genome would provide the best data to determine if it shares a common origin with Earth organisms. This is because DNA and RNA are universal genetic codes and the chemical structure of nucleotides (the building blocks of DNA and RNA) are the same in all living organisms on Earth. If the chemical makeup of the genome is significantly different from that of Earth organisms, it would suggest that the organism did not share a common origin. Options such as A, B, D, and E do not necessarily provide conclusive evidence of a common origin, as reproduction rate, adaptation ability, oxygen metabolism, and evolutionary change can vary widely between different species even on Earth.

Suppose a Space Probe Is Successful in Discovering a Living