How was the universe created and animals multiplied, and what was the first animal born, and the time and place of its birth?

The Holy Quran indicates that the universe originated from smoke, and that the heavens and the earth were a single entity which were then separated, as in His (Allah's) saying, "Then He directed Himself to the heaven while it was smoke," and "Have not those who disbelieved seen that the heavens and the earth were a joined entity, and We separated them?" Modern science confirms this, that the universe originated from gas (smoke). As for animals, Allah created them from water, as in His (Allah's) saying, "And We made from water every living thing," and "And Allah has created every [moving] creature from water." And Allah knows best which of them was created first.