The Human Dynasty

In the search for life beyond Earth, scientists “follow the water” to find places that might be hospitable. However, every home gardener knows that plants need more than water, or even sunshine. They also need fertilizer: a mixture of chemical elements that are the building blocks of the molecules of life. Scientists are now studying how the distribution of these elements on Earth — or beyond — shapes the distribution of life, the state of the environment and the course of evolution.