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Nature 448, 418 (26 July 2007) | doi:10.1038/448418a; Published online 25 July 2007
Astrobiology: Photosynthesis in watercolours
John Raven1
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Abstract
The spectrum of stellar radiation available to an organism is altered by the atmosphere and water on the planet it inhabits. Study of this relationship can outline the limits to photosynthesis.
Water is essential for life 'as we know it', and the search for life 'as we don't know it' elsewhere in the Universe centres on the search for evidence of water1. But the properties of water that make it essential for organisms and their environments can also restrict organisms' activities.
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