The Water Series

Life starts with water. We are 90% water. We were in a water solution while in our mothers' wombs and we were expelled into an atmosphere filled with water at birth. Water is a ubiquitous substance and a formidable one indeed.

Not only is water a molecule of wonder on its own account — only three atoms, two hydrogen and one oxygen, covalently bound and arranged in a triangular conformation — it also has surprising properties that allow our planet Earth to sustain life. For instance, its exceptionally high specific heat capacity and heat of vaporization allow for the buffering of abrupt temperature fluctuations, moderating Earth's climate. It has a high density at a temperature of 4°C (39°F), which explains why only the surfaces of rivers and lakes freeze over, enabling survival of deeper underwater ecologies.

Despite its essential role and importance as a prerequisite for life, there has been a decline in water quality in recent years, mainly due to human activities. Increases in population growth, rapid urbanization, and discharges of new pathogens (to name a few) are responsible. Because of our characteristically human inertia to counter growingly alarming catastrophes, problems with water pollution and inadequate sanitation, which already prevail in many regions of the planet — especially Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia — may be exacerbated. In fact, more people die from unsafe water annually than from all forms of violence, including war. Four billion cases of diarrhea (caused by waterborne pathogens) are reported each year, which account for 2.2 million deaths, mostly in children below the age of five: one child dies of diarrhea every fifteen seconds. Furthermore, freshwater organisms face a five-times greater risk of extinction than terrestrial species. To date, more than 50% of native freshwater fish species in regions of the Mediterranean, as well as Madagascar and the western islands of the Indian Ocean, are at risk of extinction.

It is time to take a stand. World Water Day is celebrated every year on March 22 and advocates for sustainable management of freshwater resources. We, the bloggers at Student Voices, want to do our part in telling people about water. This post kicks off a series of posts on this theme. The posts may be about the cultural symbols of water, or simply about drinking water; they may relate to water as a necessity of life, or as that beautiful chemical you know you love. Ultimately, we hope that each post tells you something new and amazing about this substance.  Let us know your thoughts as we consider this precious molecule.