ABSTRACT
The pattern of life on Earth is constantly changing. And in the variety and brilliant beauty of its forms, life is truly kaleidoscopic. It began billions of years ago as single cellular bacterium in the primeval seas, gradually increasing in complexity as it struggled for survival against a hostile physical environment and other predatory life forms. In these fertile seas plant forms gave rise to animal forms and, as the available resources became increasingly exploited, both began to colonize the land. On the land, in the face of fierce competition, all life forms continued to change, but it was the animal branch that proved to be more flexible and to offer greater scope for development. Eventually, about 2 to 3 million years ago, there emerged from this endless struggle for survival a large-brained primate which began to fashion tools and, much later, to use speech in exploiting its environment. Once all the natural resources available to it through the traditional practices of hunting and gathering had been exhausted, mankind began to domesticate the surrounding plant and animal life, to store surplus food, to build villages, and to develop complex urban cultures. Technological progress, however, proved to be elusive and did not become dominant again until some 10,000 years later with the Industrial Revolution and beyond. But when it came again it came to stay. This eternal dynamic quality is bestowed by the players in the game of life.
