Same kin

Plants and animals meet in breathing: carbon dioxide in, oxygen out; oxygen in, carbon dioxide out. Gases interchange and life continues. 

Cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, were the first to start producing oxygen in their photosynthesis about 2.4 billion years ago, and about 700 million years ago they were followed by land plants that created the oxygenous atmosphere existing today (Blaustein, 2016).

The relational dynamics of minerals, gases, water and microbes changed the world (Blaustein, 2016). Algae, spores, vessels, stems, moss, roots, mycorrhizae, seeds, and flowers developed during millions of years to maintain earth’s energy balance, water cycle and climate as well as the oxygen concentration of the atmosphere (Dahl & Arens, 2020).

We exist because they breathed first. We are the same distant kin, although our lineages diverged a long time ago.

When a child draws oxygen into their lungs for the first time, and breathes out, they start to shape the atmosphere. The continuum of billions of years gets a new member.

I draw in the air and smell grass, soil and mycelia, wet wood, forest freshened by rain, decaying leaves, lilac, exhaust fumes, and burning wood. I draw in the air, and breathe out again.

Being in the world is breathing (Coccia, 2020) that brings us to life (Weber, 2023).