Over the past century, several scientists around the world have made the following observations: New mitochondria and plastids can only be generated by old mitochondria and plastids through a process similar to binary fission. Both mitochondria and pl

The observations you listed support the idea that mitochondria and plastids have origins related to prokaryotic organisms, specifically through a process known as endosymbiosis. Based on the evidence, the most accurate conclusion is: **D. prokaryotic organisms living inside the cells of other organisms evolved into mitochondria and plastids.** This conclusion is supported by the similarities in DNA, membrane structure, and reproductive methods of mitochondria and plastids as compared to bacteria, which aligns with the endosymbiotic theory proposed by scientists such as Lynn Margulis.