Photosynthesis once removed

Sunlight, oxygen, water and food. Plants live off these but they don’t have to work for them. They just get them.

Whereas we only get sunlight and oxygen for free and have to work for water and food, especially food.

I guess when animals first evolved water and food were in abundance and the ‘work’ required to get them was minimal.

But our mutual tendency to overcrowd each other has meant that we have had to get stronger, faster and smarter in order to minimise the work involved in getting more than our fair share of the food and water.

This is the driving force behind evolution.

Eventually, left to its own devices, animals would evolve that also need to work for oxygen and sunlight.

By giving ‘away’ 100% guaranteed access to these things they would gain something useful, just in the same way that animals gave away unlimited access to food and water in return for mobility.

I suppose nocturnal animals have already given away sunlight and only have guaranteed oxygen. They must get their Vitamin D from things they eat. And deep sea fish have also given away guaranteed access to everything except water – they even have to keep moving to get their oxygen. I can’t think of any organism that has to work for all four key elements.

Just thinking out loud, O ether.