Life is Chemistry
All of life is chemistry. From our DNA, to our cell membranes, to our liver and brain.
The connections are seamless and cyclical. When we feel hungry, the cells in our brain feel the low blood sugar. We experience that in our gut. The cycle of glucose build-up and breakdown is interspersed with that of wakefulness and sleep, breathing, and hormonal variations. In short, all the systems that make up life.
All those cycles start with simple constituents: ions like sodium and potassium; molecules like glucose and carbon dioxide. And, of course, water.
The complexity is overwhelming:
Life is chemistry. How can we make sense of the millions of players in each living organism. Not only that; the inter-relationships that exist between us and natural systems.
Let's take a simple organism such as a mosquito. This opens up a whole deluge of information. On the carbon dioxide cycle, the different species of mosquitoes, and the intricate relationship of mosquitoes with their blood-rich hosts. It turns out that many mosquitoes are not fussy as to which host they select. Reptiles, frogs, fish, and even caterpillars can be victims.
Starting with the basics:
Life is chemistry. Each "simple" system (say that of mosquitoes) is built on a few critical parts.
For example, a mosquito's reproductive systems are highly dependent on iron metabolism. Producing healthy eggs and larva are impossible without adequate iron stores. Thus, the mosquito's determined search for CO2-exhaling hosts is intricately related to its need for iron from blood-containing hosts.
Life's Chemistry Press starts with uncovering how atoms work; what makes them tick and form molecules. It extends this work into an overview of life's most critical molecule: Water. From there, it is possible to use simple paradigms to explain living systems, health, and disease.
Picture credits:
- By Kateryna Kon. Neutrophil in blood, a white blood cell, 3D illustration. The most abundant type of granulocytes, has phagocyting activity, takes part in inflammation, ID: 1141822076.
- By adison pangchai. Model of Abstract Atom Structure. Shutterstock.com, illustration ID: 550452931.
- By yamaoyaji. Yellow slime mold on fallen leaf. Shutterstock.com, photo ID: 1491569426. The image shows a plasmodium which is - for the most part - a single cell that contains a huge amount of cytoplasm. The cell contains a multitude of nuclei.