The process that enables our existence and the existence of almost all living organisms on earth, photosynthesis, begins with the “capture” of energy, in this case from the sun. This capture sets in motion the production of food (sugars)—stored energy—which can be used to perform work.
The process actually began in the universe, it appears, 380,000 years after the Big Bang when protons captured electrons to form atoms. The proton captured the energy-producer and the process of energy production and capture had begun.
On up the ladder the process continued. The early one-celled photosynthesizers such as cyanobacteria were captured as more complex life forms developed, either as food or to perform the photosynthetic process for them. Chloroplasts in plants are essentially captured cyanobacteria, adapted to a different environment but performing the same role that they did 3.5 billion years ago.