Non-carbon based life forms?

[Monroe]

Okay I know why we're carbon based because of biology class. Carbon's 6 electrons make it easy to form bonds with other atoms and make up hydrocarbates and all that fun jazz I don't know enough about.

But are there any atom that has similiar qualities to carbon that coudl be used? We've all heard of Silicon based life forms, that even a possibility? Also what besides water could be used you guys think to carry out homeostasis?

[Teaos]

Silicon is possible to be the base of life becuase it is very similar to Carbon. The only real reason we are carbon instead of silicon is because it is more abundent.

[Mikey]

As far as a substitute for water, I don't know. Water is unique in its physical properties such as reaction to temperature, as well as it being a nearly-universal solvent. The closest compound I can think of to water is hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), yet peroxide doesn't possess the wide range of solvency that water does - it has a much less reactive molecule.

[Thorin]

I'm no biologist or chemist, but all life is carbon based under our definition of life, and all carbon based life form requires water.

Of course there's also strange theories that everything is alive. Just go and look at a rock, then someone tells you its alive, you say no its not. They say prove it. How can you? Because it doesn't have arms or legs. Think about consciousness or sentience, what actually is it that makes us aware? Electrons and circuits and signals - matter and energy, why can't all matter and energy allow self-awareness? Is there an exact boundry where something becomes self aware due to a certain arrangement of matter? Very strange to think about, like trying to decipher infinity

[Sionnach Glic]

Other guys mostly hit the nail on the head with most of the questions, so I'll just chime in about the replacement for water.
It would be possible for a race to evolve on something other than water, the reasons we have water in us is because of its properties. For a race to evolve on something else, it would need to be mostly similar to water.

[Granitehewer]

Did anyone ever see, a documentary on national geographic, a few years ago, its name eludes me, on what silicon-based life, may look like?
Ok, its conjecture, but was fascinating.
Pre my biology degree, which was as much use as a chocolate teapot, we learnt the acronym; 'Mr Grens', that defined life as: movement, respiration, growth,reproduction, excretion, nutrition, and sense.
Although obviously its a super crude way of looking at things, and filled with swiss cheese holes.
Does anyone know anything about Gaia theory,something about a living earth? I have no idea

[Thorin]

'Mr Grens', that defined life as: movement, respiration, growth,reproduction, excretion, nutrition, and sense.

I learnt it as 'Mrs Gren'.

[Granitehewer]

lol we actually learnt a rather rude, song, as a memory aid, but forgotten, how it went, shamefully

[Aaron]

Does anyone know anything about Gaia theory,something about a living earth? I have no idea

I've heard about it but I'm not up on what it's all about. Something about viewing the Earth as a living organism.

[Granitehewer]

the only 'Gaia' i know was based on watching 'Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within' lol

[Mikey]

As far as I know, which may not be far at all, the Gaia hypothesis - or more correctly, belief - is a quasi-reiligious stance based on the interconnectedness of the entire Earth - not just the ecosphere - in the sum total of life. Obviously, we all agree on the common-sense stuff, like pollution is bad for living things; from what I've been able to tell, the Gaia viewpoint goes beyond that, to include almost Shinto-esque beliefs (as in kami.) It may or may not also go on to include such things as ley lines, feng shui, and other forms of geomancy.

BTW, Gaia was a titan of Hellenic mythology involved in fertility, agriculture, the Earth, etc. - sometimes known as 'the Earth Mother' and identified slightly, much later on, with the Roman Cybele cult.[/i]

[Granitehewer]

d'oh, i thought gaia was a fate, feel a bit of a wally now

[Mikey]

Not at all - I did papers upon papers about comparative mythology in high school.

[Granitehewer]

Kamis i can do, but cheated.........(i play magic the gathering)

[Thorin]

I already knew that Gaia was a Titan thanks to the game "Age of Mythology"