How and where did the first cells form on planet Earth, 4 billion years ago?

To answer that question, we investigate why oil and water hate each other, explore the seafloor with the Titanic's discoverer, and take a relaxing dip inside a hot spring.

Extra credit: drop some olive oil into water, or make a trip to the closest hot spring in your local area.

Season 1 Finale.

What was the first living thing on Earth, when did it live, and what did it do?

Today, we end Season 1 by meeting LUCA, the oldest ancestor for every living thing on Earth today. On the way, we'll tackle how complex life formed in a chaotic universe and why it hasn't formed again, take a trip down life's family tree, and meet a deadly modern microbe- one of the closest relatives of the oldest living thing.

Thank you all for listening to Season 1, and stay tuned for Season 2!

Extra Credit: Take a look at family photos, or check your canned foods for botulism.

Get caught up to speed on Season 1, a time known as The Hadean.

The Hadean covers Earth's earliest days from 4.6 to 4 billion years ago, January 1 to Feb 14 on the Earth Calendar. This is a time of many firsts, including the formation of the Earth, Moon, oceans, islands, and perhaps life.

Check out previous episodes for more details, like the women who mapped the Earth's inner core (6) and seafloor (11), the largest object to strike our planet (8), and our earliest ancestor (23).