Water, as we all know right from our primary schooling, is a prerequisite for the existence of life forms on earth. But have we ever wondered what makes the compound unique? Let’s try to explore that a little more. Water is the name given to the chemical compound with the molecular formula H2O, i.e., one atom of oxygen clubbing with two hydrogen atoms. While hydrogen and oxygen in their elemental states is a good fuel and oxidizer respectively, in their combined state they develop a strange trait of extinguishing fire which, is found in none of the two in their elemental states.
Another important astonishing feature of water is what is popularly known as its ‘anomalous behaviour’. Water, when cooled below 40C begins to expand instead of contracting, as every other liquid does. This expansion goes on until the temperature reaches the ice point, turning liquid water into solid ice that will float on top of the liquid water and, serves as a blanket for the water beneath it. And the temperature under the sheets of ice is rendered suitable for survival of aquatic lives. Now if Darwinism is correct in its view that the first of life forms appeared under water before it gradually came ashore to land, then without water all of us are unimaginable.
Despite covering three-fourths (75%) of the earth’s surface, water still remains to be a scare resource. This situation is so because, of the millions of litres of water available on earth less than 3% is potable, i.e., fit for consumption. And that too is not distributed evenly, resulting in deaths and diseases mostly in the developing worlds. Most of the fresh water is stored in underground aquifers and the remaining flow on the surface in rivers and streams and very little is used in making the constitution of living bodies. Agriculture is the single largest consumer of fresh water. In India just about 84% of the population even has access to safe drinking water according, to a study carried out by UNICEF. Studies reveal that the poor pay twice as much as the rich living in the same city for the same amount of water and, warns that water will attain more agenda in international as well as national politics than ever before and cause serious strains in macro human relationship.