And to see a plant grow armed with the knowledge that it does so out of thin air – that is, after all, where the carbon that makes up most of its mass comes from – is to realise that something else must be restoring that nutritive goodness to the atmosphere.
In Bill Bryson's "Seeing Further: The Story of Science and the Royal Society," he emphasizes the remarkable process of plant growth, highlighting how plants create their mass predominantly from carbon found in the air. This observation prompts a deeper reflection on the natural balance of our ecosystem and the unseen processes that replenish the atmosphere with essential nutrients.
By acknowledging that plants thrive using resources from thin air, Bryson invites readers to consider the complex interactions within nature that keep our environment functioning. Understanding these dynamics reinforces the importance of protecting the ecosystems that sustain life on Earth.
