#FEMSmicroBlog: On water and microbes
Sarah Wettstadt
Water is essential to life on planet Earth as all organisms depend on it. Because of its dipole moment, water can dissolve more substances than any other liquid, with a particular affinity for water-loving ionic and polar covalent compounds. However, because it still interacts with water-repelling compounds, it is at the core of many biochemical reactions; some of them crucial for life, like photosynthesis and cellular respiration. At the same time, it serves as a transport medium for sugars,...