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DestroyraX t1_j1nmww4 wrote

It makes sense when our DNA structure and the organic compounds in our body is based around carbon rather than silicon or H2O. Also, carbon is an element but water is a compound. If you want to be technical, we are 65% oxygen by atomic mass compared to about 20% for carbon and 10% hydrogen by atomic mass. So you could consider us an "oxygen" based lifeform.

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5carletKnights t1_j1nwol0 wrote

Why do you refer humans as they instead of we? Are you an alien?

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Grinning_Goat t1_j1o4dv6 wrote

That is because water is not a basic element. It is a compound and breaks down into 2 elements.

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FibonacciKDA t1_j1p8jo0 wrote

Humans are mostly organic matter, in the form of C6H12O6 or similar molecules.

It contains energy you can burn with O2: 6*O2 + C6H12O6 -> 6*CO2 + 6*H2O

So when you dry out a human body, there is indeed a lot of water that comes out. But human is not made of water on a molecular scale.

Also, in any organic molecule, carbon is the atome that holds everything else together, like a bone. So the properties of these molecules an the viability of life is mostly due to the properties of the carbon atom. This is the reason why scientists call humans "carbon based life form".

We are not really made of water, we can be converted into it. But the very structure of any organic molecule is carbon atoms.

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Nervous-Masterpiece4 t1_j1pivv4 wrote

We are oxygen breathers yet 78% of the air we breathe is nitrogen.

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