Solar FAQ: Solar energy and photovoltaics General Enquiries Q:How does sunlight affect life on Earth?
The energy from the Sun is critical to all life on Earth. Evolutionary scientists have shown that the Sun’s energy played an essential role in ‘spontaneous generation’, whereby the very first single-cell amoebae split and developed into more complex lifeforms. Plants require sunlight for the process of photosynthesis or the production of sugars, and a by-product of the photosynthetic process is cellular respiration, which releases the oxygen that we must have to stay alive. All types of animals, including humans, also rely on the Sun’s heat to maintain body temperatures and sustain life. Thankfully, the Sun has sufficient helium mass to provide the Earth with energy for another 5 billion years.
