John asks - "Is inorganic and organic combinations in life forms a rare thing or is it common?" Inorganic and organic combine numerous times in living organisms. Inorganic minerals are incorporated into various types of hard surfaces. I will list a just a few examples. clams, snails, exoskeletons of crustaceans such as crayfish, crabs, lobster, and in higher animals teeth and bone have lots of inorganic structure. Otoliths of fish are inorganic. Many animals have hard structures that appear to be inorganic, but are really hard structures comprised of hardened organic proteins; examples are horns, toenails, porcupine quills, etc.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 07/25/14 02:06 PM.
