NASA

[Max 10]

Well, I was thinking about this for a long time, just haven't said it. You see, NASA has been looking for evidence that lifeforms survive or survived on other planets by looking for signs of water. We are arrogent, just because most lifeforms on earth are carbon based, it doesn't mean that every single lifeform in the entire universe is carbon based, and even here, on earth, we are finding beings living in environments harsher than we thought possible on earth like those under water vents that get to like, 1000 degrees ferenheight. What we're saying is that we need water, that means that if there is life on mars, it should be exactly like us. Please reply.

[Weapon_Master777 0]

Yes... some Americans are single-minded. I'm one so I should know. Just because there is no water or a miniscule amount on a planet, it dosen't mean life can't exist. The problem is trying to figure what an orginism would substitute for water and how said organism could survive in planet's hostile environments. But then again I'm no scientist. Maybe there's something we don't know.

[=Zoe= 3]

There's the possibility that there are life in another planet that can exist without water. But I guess they're looking for what we know for sure... We know that we can exist because of oxygen and water, so there should be another planet with life in the same conditions.

[Gingerlink 2]

of the elements currently known, the only real possible substitues for water and carbon are ammonia and silicon, I don't think traces of those have been found on other planets either, but I don't know how hard they've looked.

[Max 10]

but that's just the point "of the elements currently known" obviously, we don't know every single element.

also, if we had no water and more... other substance, we most likely would have evolved and adapted to that

[Gingerlink 2]

considering how elements are made up, if they're made of something else, it wouldn't be elements, because any elements we don't currently know cannot exist naturally. However of course, if some other form of building block is found (considering the amount of scientific work done at a sub-atomic level, it would seem as though there isn't anything that can be as stable) then they could be composed of that.

I've done A-level physics, so at least I have some background to it

[eyeoftruth 2]

Im thinking the whole search for living organismes is a waste of money.

[Galadhrim arrow 0]

^ 'Cause there are no aliens. Sorry alien hope-fulls.

[Ganny 285]

We know all the aliens thrive on xenon trioxide.....

[Gingerlink 2]

^ 'Cause there are no aliens. Sorry alien hope-fulls.

I have to say to that, that if you're talking about in the solar system, you'd most likely be right, but considering the size of the universe, there's gotta be at least one other planet capable of supporting life, which has done...wouldn't necessarily be intelligent, maybe they're several millions times more intelligent than us, they're just too far away to tell...

[Max 10]

Well, yeah.

considering how elements are made up, if they're made of something else, it wouldn't be elements, because any elements we don't currently know cannot exist naturally. However of course, if some other form of building block is found (considering the amount of scientific work done at a sub-atomic level, it would seem as though there isn't anything that can be as stable) then they could be composed of that.

I've done A-level physics, so at least I have some background to it

i 'm sorry, but could you repete some of that in a slow and legible voice for I, the young one. Yeah, just that begining, middle, and end part would be nice.

[ZuZu 10]

of the elements currently known, the only real possible substitues for water and carbon are ammonia and silicon, I don't think traces of those have been found on other planets either, but I don't know how hard they've looked.

thats impossible?

I thought silicon was man-made?

or am I getting confused with another element?

edit: nevermind just did some research... proved myself wrong

anyway.. there are no known forms of life on earth that rely entirely on silicon .. but it would be interesting to see how a silicon based life form turned out

[Gingerlink 2]

Silicon's found most commonly in sand, you might've thought it was man-made because it's used so much in technology.

It's wierd really, they want to find a way of changing silicon used in computers to carbon (silicon breaks down when it gets to a certain thinness, which carbon doesn't, so it would be possible to make smaller componenets out of carbon). It's interesting because with life at the moment its the other way around...

[Max 10]

like the wonderfly spectacular, new and improved: Silicon Chip!

(now with half the calories!)

[Gingerlink 2]

Maybe we should try creating our own life with silicon, just to see how feasible it is...

o wai, we can't even create life ourselves out of carbon yet, well, except for Frankenstein, but that's kinda a hazy area

*gasp* maybe Frankenstein was made out of silicon!