In an evolutionary biology context, living organisms and genes comprise a continuum, lineages that come and go. Some lineages stretch far back in time, while others have already truncated to a dead stop. Through modern phylogenetic methods, some lineages can be traced back to their origins. This presentation describes the life and birth of genes and gene families—the starting point for creating any organism. Can something as intricate and vital as the Blueprint of Life arise out of “nothing;” that is, creatio ex nihilo? If so, what are the costs, advantages, and mechanisms?