What Sustains Life?: Consilient Mechanisms for Protein-Based Machines and Materials

In the sixth century BC, Thales of Miletus, father of the Ionian Enhghtenment, setting aside the mythic views of Homer and Hesiod asked, "What is the world made of?" and thereby became the first physicist.sub He answered that water is the basis of all matter and thereupon became an often cited example of early Greek reasoning gone astray. However, not only did Thales initi­ ate scientific inquiry, but also, with reference to living things, he was substantially correct. Living organisms are ...