I’ve noticed that most of, if not all living things rely on oxygen in one way or another to breath, live. We humans need oxygen so then is carried to our bloodstream to oxygenate our internals, same with a fish for example where the oxygen is obtained from the water. But why oxygen? Why live couldn’t have happen with other elements like hydrogen for example? Why oxygen is any life’s fuel in our universe?
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Oxygen is not the fuel per se. Oxygen is what is required for the fuel to burn. Oxygen is the “burn” molecule. It’s why liquid oxygen is so very dangerous.
Hydrogen is fine as a fuel. It’s just rare to find it on its own, so not much really wants it. But hydrogen+oxygen = water + energy and that is what life wants: making energy.
It’s not about the fuel being present. It’s about the chemical reaction that the fuel provides, and fuel alone doesn’t just self-destruct into energy for life. Substitute hydrogen for sugars, fats, and you have energy for humans. But we still need oxygen for it to happen.
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