Chemistry
Chemistry susses the relations between species of matter. Grounded in the relative solidity of atoms and molecules, chemistry – at first blush – appears to validate empiricism; but chemical reactions readily happen where they should not, as the tentacles of quantum mechanics touch all phenomena. The classical laws of chemistry render interstellar space too cold for organic molecules to form. Yet they do, prodigiously so.
The exercise of matter involves vibrancy within an energy economy. The stability of chemical compounds relies on discrete tolerances to energetic disturbances.
This energy reactivity/stability yin-yang is manifest in the elements of royalty in organic chemistry: carbon and nitrogen. Carbon is the most flexible element for molecular combination, and so is copiously employed as a manifest information conduit. Contrastingly, nitrogen’s inherent stability renders it a cornerstone for cellular structures.
