So, why is water biologically important?

Some brief impressionistic and necessarily subjectively based comments on the content of the Discussion Meeting are made. It is pointed out that the principal thrust of most of the presentations was directed towards structural aspects of proteins in various media. Comments are also made on the necessary interplay between the medium in which biomolecules occur and the interatomic forces between the atoms comprising the biomolecules. Some speculation is made on the possibility of life-forms existing in extreme environments.