Here I present: Ian Stewart, In Pursuit of the Unknown’: 17 Equations that Changed the World’, 2012, PART EIGHT (8).
INTRODUCTION.
“Fossil fuel” is often used in science fiction stories to imply the existence of extraterrestrials (ET) is possible in the Universe.
The historical discussion of organic chemistry began with equations BELOW:
CnH2n+2
CnH2n
CnH2n-2
This set of formula used in discussing “petroleum fractions” was the beginning of a systematic nomenclature of organic chemistry. The “origin-of-life” on Earth is based upon hypothesis using the chemical nomenclature of carbon bonds. Ethane, Ethene & Ethyne: CC, C=C and C#C (smiles single, double, triple bonds) are foundational to linguistic concepts of “carbon-based molecules”. Ian Stewart, has a list of seventeen (17) equations, but these equations can be included in the listing.
