Elements of Life at the Oxo Wall

Abstract

We live on a planet bathed in dioxygen. Iron, the most abundant transition metal element on Earth, reacts with dioxygen to form rust and red clays. It is also an essential component of enzymes that generate the energy we need to live, but alas, many of these reactions can be harmful, leading eventually to destruction of vital organs in our bodies. We can’t live without iron and dioxygen, but there are challenges living with them!