Given below are two statements.

Statement I : Formation of life was preceded by chemical evolution.

Statement II : The first non-cellular forms of life could have originated 3 bya.

In light of the given statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below.

Both statement I and statement II are correct.

Statement I suggests that the formation of life was preceded by chemical evolution. This statement aligns with the widely accepted scientific idea that the origins of life involved a process of chemical evolution, wherein simple organic molecules gradually formed more complex molecules, eventually leading to the emergence of life.

Statement II proposes that the first non-cellular forms of life could have originated 3 billion years ago (bya). This statement is also in line with current scientific hypotheses regarding the timing of the origins of life. Earth emerged around 4.5 billion years ago, and non-cellular forms of life, such as RNA-based replicators or protocells, could have existed around 3 billion years ago.