X-Message-Number: 5032
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 1995 09:43:48 -0700
From: John K Clark <>
Subject: SCI.CRYONICS Elements Of Life

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In #5024 On  20 Oct 95 "Steven B. Harris" <> Wrote:
                 
                >The number of elements necessary to life is far longer than 
                >the ten Clark supposes          
                
Steven Harris is quite correct. I was imprecise. In my own defense I 
will say  that I was *almost* right. Nearly  99% of all the matter 
in life is  made from just 4 different types of atoms, 4 different
building blocks.  61% of the atoms in life are hydrogen, 27% are oxygen, 
8% are carbon, and  2.5% are nitrogen. The other elements involved in 
life are found in trace amounts. 

It's interesting that there is not a clear relationship between
the amount of elements in the earth's crust and it's use in
life. 28% of the earth is made of silicon yet it plays only a
minor role in life.  4.5% is aluminum, the most common of all metals, 
but it is a poison and to my knowledge not used by life at all.


                                John K Clark       


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