SciComm

  “If there is magic on planet earth, it is contained in water.” – Loren Eiseley                            Water is a magical substance, quite literally. Oceans, rivers, lakes and waterfalls invoke a sense of wonder and beauty. Our planet is special because of the presence of water. Water has shaped our planet in unique ways, and life only exists because water exists.   We are so accustomed to the role of water in our everyday life, that we regularly make the mistake of presuming its behaviour is normal. We also feel all other liquids exhibit properties similar to water. Water, however, is unlike any other liquid. It behaves in such an anomalous way, that scientists have a difficult time explaining its chemistry even today. In fact, life only exists on earth because water behaves in a weird way. Why is the chemical nature of water so different? Let us have a look. Universal solvent and the basis for life A water molecule is composed of one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms. That