what does it refer to?

[light]

hi again,

"His award for showing how cells copy genes, a process essential to how cells develop and to life itself, came 47 years after ...."

a. what does "itself" refer to here?
b. isn't something missing in the underlined part ? (does it mean: essential to understand how cells develop and) but I can't figure out "to life"?

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by light

hi again,

"His award for showing how cells copy genes, a process essential to how cells develop and to life itself, came 47 years after ...."

a. what does "itself" refer to here?
b. isn't something missing in the underlined part ? (does it mean: essential to understand how cells develop and) but I can't figure out "to life"?

"Itself" is a relexive pronoun used to emphasize "life". It means that the process is essential to the development of cells and essential to the existence of life (living things).

[light]

thanks for your answer. the sentence is now clear. though it's amazing how sometimes simple things look complex for us foreigners

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by light

thanks for your answer. the sentence is now clear. though it's amazing how sometimes simple things look complex for us foreigners

There are many unusual structures in English. You will discover them all over time. Just hang in there.

[light]

Still I guess one incarnation won't be enough... And I've read somewhere recently that the number of words in English language has approached 900,000! You guys just keep producing new notions and words.. Have mercy on us

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by light

Still I guess one incarnation won't be enough... And I've read somewhere recently that the number of words in English language has approached 900,000! You guys just keep producing new notions and words.. Have mercy on us

We never seem to run out of words.