The transfer of electricity and electrons has always been the core of life activities. All living organisms are utilizing electron transfer to produce and store energy. In a sense, the light reaction of photosynthesis is like photovoltaic panels generating electricity to obtain current to decompose hydrogen sources. Respiration is power production, and the nervous system is the wire that transmits bioelectricity in the organism. It is not difficult to generate electricity by generating potential differences through ion transport. The electric eel’s electricity generating cells are the evolution of muscle cells.
The problem with lightning is that it is extremely unstable and intense energy release. It is basically unlikely to become an energy dependent organism. However, if there is indeed a long-term thunderstorm environment, some tall plants may indeed have evolved the ability to conduct lightning like lightning and further attempt to use the power of lightning. Although the more likely evolution is to become shorter.
Electrophagous bacteria AND Photoelectric autotrophy
Electrophagous bacteria do exist. Unlike iron eaters who actively oxidize metals, they have evolved a membrane protein to directly use the electrons generated on the surface of mineral electrodes (natural galvanic cells) for their own biochemical activities or use the electrons emitted by some electrogenerating bacteria (mutualism).
In fact, there is also Photoelectric autotrophy in nature, which utilizes the photoelectrons generated by light on the surface of widely existing semiconductor minerals for extracellular electron transfer (multiple pathways) and utilization. This mechanism widely exists in the existing chemotrophic autotroph and Photosynthetic bacteria, and also protects cells from ultraviolet radiation. Perhaps photosynthesis evolved on this basis, cells synthesize photosynthetic pigments themselves to obtain photoelectrons without relying on minerals. Perhaps this is the common denominator of autotroph?
The synergistic evolution of minerals and microorganisms is worth considering, which may be considered in the generation and evolution of the world, such as the biogenesis of geology, the distribution and evolution of microbial periods that affect the mineral differentiation of civilization stages.