Short answers, pulled from the story.
The concept of the carbonate ion began to take shape on the 2nd of May 1536. The word carbonate itself was not coined until centuries after this pivotal moment in the history of chemistry.
The carbonate ion has the chemical formula CO3 2- and consists of one carbon atom surrounded by three oxygen atoms. This polyatomic structure exists in a trigonal planar arrangement and serves as the simplest oxocarbon anion.
The carbonate ion regulates blood pH through a buffer system that maintains a narrow range between 7.37 and 7.43. This system relies on dynamic equilibrium between carbonate, bicarbonate, carbon dioxide, and carbonic acid to stabilize acidity levels.
The carbonate ion forms calcium carbonate which creates the shells and skeletons of marine organisms like coral. Increased solubility of carbonate due to rising temperatures compromises shell formation and threatens the existence of reefs that support a quarter of all marine life.
Carbonates are used in iron smelting, the manufacture of Portland cement and lime, and the composition of ceramic glazes. New applications include thermal energy storage and use as catalysts and electrolytes in molten carbonate fuel cells.
The presence of carbonates in rock is strong evidence for the presence of liquid water. Small amounts of carbonate deposits found on Mars via spectral imaging suggest groundwater may have existed at Gusev and Meridiani Planum.