Welcome To Waterworld
#71 - 3 mind-blowing observations about the most important compound on Earth.
"Mni Wiconi" 🌊 "Water is Life"
—Lakota
You live in Waterworld. Have you ever thought about it that way?
Water is an essential Natural Compound to all Life on Earth. And it's the only substance within Earth's limited ranges of pressure and temperature which can act as a liquid, solid, or gas.
All living things need water to survive, because we're all made of it. And without it, life as we know it simply would not exist.
So, today we will observe 3 fascinating things about Water, also known as, "The Life Giver".
And perhaps over the course of this short article, you and I will learn a new appreciation for our abundant access to the most important compound on Earth.
#1 - Water Can't Be Destroyed
Yeah, you read that right.
If you heat water, it turns to vapor. And then when the vapor cools, it turns back to water.
But, if you freeze it, the water turns to ice. And when the ice melts, it turns back to water.
You can't smash it, burn it, or sear it. Any attempt to destroy it simply causes it to change phases.
And, if you think about it, you've never "created" water either. In your entire life, you've only ever moved it around, and changed its phase by applying heat or cold to it.
So, why is water so strong then? Perhaps the answer is the simplicity of its Elemental Structure?
Each water molecule is made from two Hydrogen atoms, and one Oxygen atom, forming what look like tiny bubble tetrahedra.
The O pole of the molecule is negatively charged, and the H is positive. So when water molecules stick together, opposite poles attract, and they zipper into each other like little elastic puzzle pieces.
#2 - Every Body is Made of Water
According to the NIH, "Water is the most abundant molecule in cells, accounting for 70% or more of total cell mass." And cells are what build the bodies you, me, the animals, and The Earth all live in.
USGS.gov says your Hue-Man Body is made of about 60% water, and we know water can change phases of being. So it makes sense the average person needs to drink somewhere between 2 to 3 liters of water per day, to replace what their body exhausts through activity.
Water creates every cell in your body, and it can't be destroyed. The planet you live on is made of it, and as you sweat it from your body, the vapors are recycled to be later rained back down upon you, the land, and the plants you eat.
You and I, most literally, live in Waterworld.
#3 - No Water = No Life
A quick look to the Natural World will illustrate this.
The first photo shows Morel Mushrooms growing in their natural habitat. Their fruit looks like fascinating little forest brains, and smells uniquely woody.
Their bodies are supple, firm to the touch, and can easily be torn away from their perches with a soft pinch. But that action is what ultimately starts their clock ticking.
Because a week after being removed from the forest floor, as seen in the second photo, they become hard to the touch. They shrivel into toughened husks, deflated of the water which once enlivened them.
To eat the still-hydrated mushroom is an earthy delight which hunters look forward to all year. But to chew on the dry husk is like gnawing on a piece of wood.
Be Like Water, My Friend
Examine any living body and you will find it's made of lots of tiny cells, each made of water.
Your home planet, and all the food you eat is also made of the stuff. Which, funny enough, can’t be destroyed. And, on top of all that, your thoughts can influence its chemical structure.
The topic of water is so mindblowingly big, it's hard to properly wrap your head around.
So be sure to say "Thank You" to your water as you drink it, because without it, you wouldn't be here, and neither would I.
And I can tell you this for sure because I almost died one time when I didn’t drink enough of it on a hot bike ride!
Pause a moment with me, take a breath, and ponder the simple idea that water makes your entire life and every memory you’ve ever made possible.
That’s pretty wild, right?
But this is The Hue-Man Experience. And we keep finding how the little things are actually the big things.
And next week we’ll be back with more :)
