According to theories concerning the origin of life the atom shown is a likely choice for the basic element of all livings things because it?

According to theories concerning the origin of life, carbon is a likely choice for the basic element of all living things because of its unique ability to form stable covalent bonds with a variety of other elements, including itself. This allows for the creation of complex and diverse organic molecules, such as proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids. Additionally, carbon's tetravalent nature enables it to participate in various chemical reactions necessary for life processes. Thus, it serves as the backbone for the molecular structures essential for biological functions.