How many living cells on Earth?

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A recent New York Times article highlights that there are approximately 10^30 cells currently on Earth, with projections suggesting a total of about 10^41 cells throughout the planet's future. This staggering number exceeds the total stars in the universe and grains of sand on Earth. The article discusses how current high rates of primary productivity may lead to an increase in life forms within a limited timeframe, emphasizing that planetary productivity is constrained by available energy sources. Initially, early life forms relied on geochemical energy from hydrogen and carbon dioxide, but as more energy resources, including sunlight, became accessible, the capacity for cell production expanded. The discussion also references a previous article on the evolution of biological energy usage, underscoring the vast diversity of microbial life found in extreme environments.
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A NY Times article "Exactly How Much Life is on Earth?" (research article here, behind a paywall) says that there are about 1030 cells currently on earth and the total numbers of cells that will be on earth through its future lifespan is about 1041 cells.

That is:
more living cells on Earth — a million trillion trillion, or 10^30 in math notation, a 1 followed by 30 zeros — than there are stars in the universe or grains of sand on our planet

But for now, Dr. Crockford and his colleagues wrote in their paper, “the extension of today’s relatively high rates of primary productivity will likely squeeze more life into less time.”
It was implied in the article that overall planetary productivity is limited by the energy sources available to the life forms. This is an ecological argument.
This amounts to how much energy (sunlight or chemical) is available for life forms to use at different geological times. The earliest life forms may only have had geochemical energy from H2 and CO2 in special locations to use for their purposes. Eventually other chemical sources were made available for use as well as sunlight. These greater energy resources allowed more cells to be made and supported with energy sources.

There was an article a few years ago on changes in biological energy usage through evolution:
The Energy Expansions of Evolution by Olivia Judson(also paywalled).
 
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