ABSTRACT
Water (H 2 O) is often perceived to be a perfectly ordinary substance because it
is transparent, odorless, tasteless, and ubiquitous. We interact with it all the
time in our everyday lives, and it is, not surprisingly, the most studied material
on earth. Unfortunately, we often erroneously think that the properties of
liquids are those that we ind for liquid water and the changes we see as water
changes to steam or ice as those commonly found among other liquids. These
assumptions are much mistaken as the properties of liquid water are unique,
because it is considerably different from other liquids. Liquid water is the
most extraordinary substance, and life on earth and its probability elsewhere
in the universe cannot have evolved or continue without it. Organisms consist
mostly of liquid water, and this water performs many functions. Therefore
it cannot be considered simply as an inert diluent. It transports, lubricates,
reacts, enables, stabilizes, signals, structures, and partitions. The living
world should be thought of as an equal partnership between the biological
molecules and water where each is required and structured by the other.
