This doesn't get the attention it deserves.

To be certain, the big move of life is taking the nuclear energy radiated by a star and storing it in a chemical process. Since, in a closed system, the amount of energy (considering mass as a ersatz storehouse of energy) must remain constant, in order for life to happen at all, free radiant energy must be captured and converted.

Right now, the fact that plants and certain bacteria can capture photons and produce substances that store that energy forms the critical link between our star shining and us living.