Thread: Other life

Has it occured to people that, bear with me here, other life doesn't necessarily require water and oxygen to live? I mean, just because we require it, doesn't mean other life out there requires it. If used this question, then wouldn't it be more plausible that there are planets out there that support other life different than we are. By stating life requires oxygen and water to survive, is like saying everyone wants to be american. Not necessarily true.

Your Right, Life on Earth has Evolved to use Oxygen because it was plentiful, Now Water is somewhat needed because its a "Easy" place to Grow, its Cool (as in temperature) and is a Good Place to Start. Not saying its necessary, But its nice to have.

Some Sci-Fi stories have had Silicon based lifeforms (rather than Carbon based).
The wonderful thing about Carbon is the variety that's possible with its chemistry.
Water, also, is a bit special. Being a bit Bi-Polar gives it an edge when it comes to solving chemistry problems.

But I wouldn't say "our way" is the only way to do life.
It might be the only one we would recognise, though.

Originally Posted by TaoZero5

Some Sci-Fi stories have had Silicon based lifeforms (rather than Carbon based).
The wonderful thing about Carbon is the variety that's possible with its chemistry.
Water, also, is a bit special. Being a bit Bi-Polar gives it an edge when it comes to solving chemistry problems.

But I wouldn't say "our way" is the only way to do life.
It might be the only one we would recognise, though.

Some of us would!

For instance, some treat the entire earth as a single organism. There's the Gaia hypothesis, and the Commuter hypothesis (which has little steel corpuscles flooding along asphalt arteries, delivering packets of energized fuel to specialized organs of industry...).

Those that do believe that "our way" is the only way to do life, live in such a miserable world then. I wouldn't wish this kind of life upon any species in the universe. Constant war, inter-species hatred, unrelenting greed, etc. etc. the list can go on.

I heard of the concept that maybe, as a high probability, within our own galaxy, may exist a lifeform far more advanced, that doesn't require the shell we call a body. I forgot where I saw and read that at. Annoys me when i can't remember those small details.

By the statement, "It might be the only one we would recognize, though" if most thought that, then would we not be considered thinking within the parameter of the box? I was raised to think outside the box and the other opportunities. I just don't think outside the box, I tear it up. I am under the impression that a hypothesis is stating what comes to mind, as to allow it to stand up to scrutiny. All the while disregarding established scientific notions.

It will be a long while before we can find anything that doesn't exist as within the parameter of what we do. Maybe that's why they said the exo-planets that they found, only a few of the rocky worlds could support water and thus life. I believe they refer to human life. It has a possibility to support human life.

Oh, if later down the road, I say things that may offend, I apologize in advance. I say what comes to mind, disregarding everything established around me. I like having the proof that I was wrong. It allows me to learn. Wouldn't you all agree?

Originally Posted by Aaron Baker

Maybe that's why they said the exo-planets that they found, only a few of the rocky worlds could support water and thus life. I believe they refer to human life. It has a possibility to support human life.

The rest are probably more like the rest of the planets in our own solar system, which do not seem to have developed/sustained life of any sort that we can recognize.

Didn't they say like a few years back that, I think it was Neptune, had life, but it was micro organisms? Single celled and a few multi-celled bacteria. Wouldn't that still constitute as life? Or must something be capable of thought process and a pulse to fall into the category? I heard some call it life, some don't.

Originally Posted by Aaron Baker

Didn't they say like a few years back that, I think it was Neptune, had life, but it was micro organisms? Single celled and a few multi-celled bacteria. Wouldn't that still constitute as life? Or must something be capable of thought process and a pulse to fall into the category? I heard some call it life, some don't.

I'm pretty sure that anyone would think that would constitute life, but I don't recall anything about Neptune.

Wouldn't bacteria be considered life outside our planet? I think they said they found bacteria on neptune.