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Phosphate is a crucial component of DNA, RNA, ATP, and other biologically active compounds. Microbes, plants, and animals—including humans—cannot exist without it. Rocks containing phosphate have been discovered and are being mined at minimal cost. But resources are limited, and phosphate is being dissipated. Future generations ultimately will face problems in obtaining enough to exist.
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Philip H. Abelson (1999) studied this question.
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