For those interested in future beach walk topics, visit the Topics List page, then scroll the list to see the topics identified as New (N).
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I like walking on the beach. It is good for the mind, body, and soul – and refreshing on my feet.
I encounter shells, jellyfish, dead fish, and occasional strands of seaweed scattered across the sand. I see a fisherman reeling in live fish, and another fisherman placing shrimp on a hook as bait – all under the watchful eye of a patient heron. A variety of birds are doing their daily business of looking for food in the water or the sand. I might see a few crabs dead or alive, or even dolphins swimming.
I’ve mentioned living or once-living things because I’m focusing on something deeper. That is, life as we know it – something called carbon-based life forms.
I think about carbon, the fourth most abundant element by mass in the universe after hydrogen, helium, and oxygen. With the symbol C on the Periodic Table and atomic number 6, its ability to share electrons allows it to form millions of different chemical compounds. So many that carbon is the foundation for the entire field of organic chemistry.
I think about carbon and its role in living things. Carbon combines with oxygen and hydrogen to make carbohydrates (including the ones we know as sugars). Carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen also form the foundation of proteins and fats – some even alcohol – then add nitrogen (and sometimes sulfur) to the carbon-hydrogen-oxygen mix to make DNA, RNA, antibiotics, amino acids, and more.
I think about carbon in plants – the foundation of cellulose, an important structural carbohydrate for plants – therefore carbon is an important component in cotton, hemp, and numerous fabrics. We also know cellulose as an indigestible dietary fiber. One cannot forget starch as the plant’s reserve food supply which is also a nutritional source for us. Yes, carbon is in starch.
I think about the importance of carbon in plants and animals in the sea that I see – but they are the plants and animals I seldom see. Their needs are very similar to the living things on land.
I think of carbon and its different forms as charcoal, graphite, diamonds, coal, and inks and toners.
I think of carbon as an important filtering component in water purification, numerous home filters, and gas masks because carbon helps absorb odors, impurities, gasses, and poisons.
I think about carbon moving from organism to organism. Carbon is involved in plants making their food, all living things releasing energy from food, all living things producing the new molecules they need, and bacteria decomposing materials.
I think about carbon as a fuel source. After all, carbon is in coal, gasoline, methane, butane, propane, octane, kerosene, natural gas, paraffin, and others.
I think about carbon and its vital component in plastics, lubricants, refrigerants, and all fossil fuels.
I think about the important role of carbon in manufacturing steel and carbides that are important to human life.
I think about carbon as a component of calcium carbonate – the main ingredient in the shells I see, plus in limestone, marble, chalk, antacids, and more.
I think about the carbon found in carbon dioxide – the gas that exhalation removes from our bodies. The same gas that the animals of the sea and land also do in their way for the same reason. The same gas is also essential to green plants making their food. The same gas gives effervescence to carbonate beverages.
Burning fire releases the same gas, which is also a prime component in some fire extinguishers. Yeast releases the same gas to make bread dough rise and transform grape juice into wine. The same gas also dissolves in the waters of the sea, lakes, and rivers.
I think about the abundance of carbon in the sun, stars, comets, and asteroids. All this carbon formed in the core of stars by joining atoms of helium and hydrogen together – then scattered in the universe as space dust from supernova explosions.
I think of the carbon within me and all people – the same carbon in all the animals in the sea and on the land – the same carbon in all the green plants – the same carbon in bacteria, mosses, and fungi. Yes, the same carbon from the stars in the universe – so yes, we and the rest of life are stardust.
I think of carbon – its role in our life and its role in all life as we know it. Carbon is a very-worthy thought as I walk because carbon is more than we realize. After all, I like walking on the beach because it is good for the mind, body, and soul – and refreshing on my feet.
See what other bloggers have posted about Carbon
- Carbon Dating (a short essay)
- The Magic of Redwoods (a poem with photos)
- 5 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint (a short essay)
- Double Space (a haiku)
- Carbon Capture (an essay)
Next Post: Circles v2 – Saturday 24th June @ 1 AM (Eastern US)
Creation and how we exist on our planet is endlessly fascinating, Frank. Thank you for explaining it all so neatly.
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Jo,
With carbon providing the foundation, connections are so numerous, I’m confident that there are many more that I didn’t mention. can say this one wasn’t easy to write.
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You did a grand job, Frank 🤗💜
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Thanks, Jo!
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An educational blog about universe that I understand but I will unfortunately forget about the details, well written and informative for sure 😊 we are all connected
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Ritva,
My teacher side definitely took over on this one because most people don’t realize the carbon connections. I can say the chances of a volume 2 are very slim.
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Me being one… so you did hit a target on that one 😀
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Thank you
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It’s very versatile!
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Fraggle,
“Versatile” is an outstanding adjective for carbon, so thanks for that!
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Good morning, Frank! Fascinating to think about. We are all so connected to the universe.
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Merril,
Connections through carbon are fascinating, and fortunately I found the perfect video as a conclusion.
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You’re very welcome, Frank!
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This song fascinated me the first time I heard. I had forgotten about it. Thanks for pointing it out again. On another note, I will once again show my age, throughout the read my brain kept saying,
remember carbon paper?” We had to use these sheets of carbon paper in between sheets of paper to make copies. We still use the term CC when we copy someone on something.
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Michelle,
Glad you enjoyed the video. I love the Symphony of Science series. I used this one at least once on the old blog, and knew it was the perfect video for this post. I absolutely remember carbon copy … including typing with it!
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Yet another thing that we – and so many other things – have in common….another connection shared.
Pam
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Pam,
There’s is no doubt that carbon is a great common-bond connector of living things. No doubt in my mind at all! Thanks for the wonderful thought!
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Well done, Frank. The word carbon congers up old office memories of letters typed and copies made with carbon paper. Ancient times indeed.
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John,
Our ties to carbon paper surely dates up. Do you remember placing carbon paper behind the front stone tablet before chiseling?
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😁
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Holy moly! I have a newly gained respect for carbon! Like so many others, my first thought was the carbon paper we used when typing. In the office I worked in, we were required to make many copies. So if you made a typo, you had to peel through layer after layer of carbon paper to carefully erase the mistake.
I had no idea of the carbon connections. This is really an interesting post Frank. You must have been a great teacher! Hell, you still are ’cause you keep teaching us!
Ginger
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Ginger,
Thanks for the kind words about this post. This was tough to right because I had so many thoughts about carbon. Meanwhile, I also recall typing with carbon paper! I wonder if the stuff is still made? Just looked it up on Amazon … YES!
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It’s a bit science-techy for me, Frank, but fascinating all the same! It proves further how everything is connected, which brings together the spiritual and scientific sides of creation.
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Tom,
Because of the scientific nature of the topic, I can say that worried me …. so I recall being very careful with the wording. I appreciate you seeing a spiritual and scientific connection here – especially because I agree! 🙂
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Your wording was fine, Frank, no worries there. It’s my techy mind that goes slow with certain scientific stuff! 😊
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🙂
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Brilliant post, my friend and I’m so glad you didn’t go down the ‘climate change’ road! 😉
Stardust we are!
Yamas!
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Marina,
As you well know, I try to stray from controversy with these essays …. and you also know that I wasn’t shy of challenges on the old blog. To me, carbon’s connection in life is a great connection with stardust … thus the perfect video! Well … in my mind. Yamas!
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Perfect in my mind too, as is your post, my friend… and yes, I remember! 😉
Yamas!
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A great post, Frank!! Lots to think about. I have marveled at the complexity of our world. We are simply visitors. Our actions must be resolute, our choices should be clear to us all. We must maintain balance and understand how carbon is vital for our survival and yet can be the source of our extinction. As Henry David Thoreau once wrote, “What is the use of a house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to put it on?”
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Rebecca,
Glad you enjoyed this one and thanks for the kind words. Carbon’s connection to all life is remarkable …. let alone the wide variety of roles in human life. I didn’t know that Thoreau quote …. thanks for sharing it!
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So much wonderful food for thought here, Frank!
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Jennie,
Definitely much to chew on here … then again, that’s what carbon can do.
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What a great informative post Frank… that is why the aims of Zero Carbon is not feasible it would mean killing of the world at large..
May your mind continue to think as you walk your walk and talk your talk Frank 🙂
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Sue,
Glad you enjoyed this post. Carbon’s role in life is huge – and my goal was to focus on carbon the substance while avoiding the controversial aspect of carbon. 🙂
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🙂 ❤
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I must admit I haven’t thought about carbon as while reading this, but then I realized that I often do, just possibly not as “Oh, yeah, carbon.” Hope that makes sense. Loved all the connections and you got me thinking.
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Janet,
Of all the comments I’ve read so far, yours may be my favorite because you caught what I was trying to do … make connections! So thank you so much for your words!
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As a survivor of 4 years of chemistry education (and numerous organic chemistry courses) I have to say, Carbon is my favorite chemicals.
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🙂 La chimie verte restera une douce utopie (excepté la synthèse de l’ibuprofène).
Je détestais la chimie minérale et comme vous appréciait la chimie organique.
Mais combien de doigts ont été brûlés en coudant le verre? Combien de doigts ont été coupés en taillant le verre ou le liège pour fabriquer tous ces circuits de distillation …. L’étudiant pas doué que j’étais devait inhaler et ingérer pas mal de toxiques, aujourd’hui toujours présents dans le cerveau et les rondeurs féminines.
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Ann,
Given you science background, your comment not only didn’t surprise me, it also made me chuckle. I must admit that I wasn’t a good organic chem student. Thanks for sharing.
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Dan,
Ann’s translation (according to Google Translate) … Green chemistry will remain a sweet utopia (except for the synthesis of ibuprofen). I hated inorganic chemistry and like you liked organic chemistry. But how many fingers have been burned by bend the glass? How many fingers have been cut cutting glass or cork to make all these distillation circuits…. The not gifted student that I was had to inhale and ingest a lot of toxins, still present today in the brain and feminine curves.
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Thanks Frank!
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Dan,
Because you are more versed in organic chemistry than most, you get my connections … and probably could add many more! Thank you!!!
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Excellent, Frank!
I learned a lot here today that helped me fill in some blanks.
Mainly, a line in an old song, “We are stardust, we are golden
We are billion-year-old carbon”. Cheers! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEBmKi2xmoU
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Resa,
Glad I was able to complete some connections for you. I think many readers have those thoughts. Thanks for the classic song. I had no clue not only of the closing lyrics you mentioned, but also that Joni Mitchell not only did the song, but wrote it! I always that it was CSNY.
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Many think it was CSNY because they had the hit with it.
Graham Nash and Joni wrote tons of songs together, and were quite the couple on the scene.
Have you see the documentary “EchoIn The Canyon”. Joni and Graham are in it… so is the rest of the music world at that time! Here’s one of the trailers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoVooIW67cI
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Ps. I like the video.
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Cheers … clink!
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Frank, I had no idea! Thank you for another educating, yet interesting, post. Those of us who didn’t elect to take all those chemistry courses are certainly getting our eyes opened by reading your words here!
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Debbie,
I glad you not only appreciated this post, you made sense of it. (Yes, I was careful with my wording.) I was hoping readers would make connections … so thank you!
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Carbon is miraculous! It isn’t just about how it combines with other elements but how it folds and stacks with other Carbon molecules – one way and you get soot and another and you get diamonds!
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Muri,
As one in the sciences, I know you understand it’s grandness! Thanks for chiming in!!!
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Entre le graphite des crayons de bois des grands artistes peintres et le diamant si convoité l’élément carbone vaut de l’or .
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Ann,
“Between the graphite of the wooden pencils of the great painters and the coveted diamond, the carbon element is worth gold.” ….. Profound … so I like your comment very much! Thank you for sharing your wise words.
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I think of carbon footprint credits and how I can’t afford them . . .
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Marc,
Carbon footprint is not only an issue in itself, it’s a small part of what carbon is all about. It’s that big!!!
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HUGE?
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Yes – bigger than someone’s hands.
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But NOT bigger than the Reds winning streak.
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FYI: Longest winning streaks for the franchise: 1939 and 1957 – 12 games; 1899 and 1890 – 14 games
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The Reds were a powerhouse in the 1890’s!
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This franchise has strong teams in 30-year cycles.
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So what you’re saying is, the return of the Reds is at hand. . .
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Hi Frank, an interesting analysis of carbon, it’s pros and cons. I think, as a species, we’ve just overdone it with fossil fuels. The old saying goes ‘all things in moderation’. Have a great new week.
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Robbie,
Moderation is an important words for that issue …. but I wanted to emphasize carbon’s biggness in the world.
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Absolutely, and you did 🪻
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Hi Frank – thanks for the science lesson on Carbon. I don’t walk the beach as much as you do. In my limited beach walking, I can say I’ve never really given carbon that deep of thought. I guess I’ve taken it for granted. 🤔😂 Carbon does seem to need H2O to make things green (as in my yard during the drought).
I don’t miss eating the bad forms of carbohydrates though – I think of that on a daily basis.
I hope you have a great week!
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Shelley,
Along with water, carbon’s role in garden’s is very big … they actually make a good pair. 🙂
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Yes, indeed!!
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Nature and science walk hand in hand along the shoreline with Frank. Thank you for reminding us all about the deeper importance of carbon. 😉
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Lori,
Not only are nature and science hand in hand on the beach, my science background helps me make connections when I walk on the beach. Meanwhile, glad you enjoyed a tiny bit about carbon.
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“We are Stardust . . . Created when unstable stars exploded.” That could explain so much! I wonder how many people today understand how we were made, microscopically speaking. I’m sure even if they are aware, not many care. There are simply too many responsibilities to spend time worrying about something so esoteric. And yet I’ll bet most of them have looked up into that night sky at some point in their lives and wondered. It is so beautiful to think of us being a small part of something so large, so unimaginable. It is a wonderful topic for meandering with the sand beneath your feet.
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Pam,
The concept of stardust is huge …. plus you get the connection!!!! ,,, and carbon throughout the universe boggles the mind. Thanks for sharing.
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well Frank you surely stirred up some interesting comments on this one, and rightly so. I laughed at the carbon paper comment – I too remember it all too well. Used to get all over your fingers if you weren’t careful. I find the science of carbon-dating particularly interesting. Through it we’ve had much more success dating the many things archaeologists have discovered over the years. Great food for thought.
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Tina,
Whereas some wanted to go into a few of the negative thoughts about carbon these days, I aimed to the bright side and the biggness of the role that carbon has in life ,,,, and not going down the contraversial path.
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Oh that carbon paper! I remember it well, and its peculiar odor, when it came out of the mimeograph machine.
When we start to think about what we are made of, and all the tentacles that connect us, it begins to boggle our minds, at least it does me.
Thanks for making us appreciate Carbon, that humble molecule combo with such important functions.
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Ingrid,
Carbon’s role in living things is off the charts …. and yes, humbling is a good adjective for it. By the way, mimeo fluid/ink was based on linoleic acid – and yes – it is based on carbon.
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Hi Frank…I am an avid walker too, but on local trails or thru our neighborhood. We live 150 miles from the NC coast but our daughter and her family live about 15 miles from the Atlantic Ocean.
My favorite time on the beach is early spring or after Labor Day
Ceciia
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Cecilia,
Welcome to the sands of my cyber-beach (and thanks for stepping out of class to visit). 🙂 I’m much further from the beach than you (Cincinnati), but I will let the very first post here tell me story – so I invite you to visit it. https://beachwalkreflections.wordpress.com/2020/10/20/1-introducing/
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Yay to carbon is what I say 🙂
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Crispina,
I second your motion. 🙂
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👍😎
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