The Chemistry of Life: Why Phosphorus and Nitrogen Rule the Stars

The crux of this new perspective is that water is merely a solvent; it provides the medium for life, but not the building blocks. For life as we know it to emerge, a planet needs a specific cocktail of essential elements, most notably phosphorus and nitrogen. Phosphorus is the backbone of DNA and RNA, the molecules that store and transmit genetic information, while nitrogen is a fundamental component of proteins and amino acids. Without these two elements being available in the right forms and quantities, a planet could be covered in vast oceans yet remain entirely sterile and "pointless" in the search for life.