Silicon-based Life

Excerpt from the BBC documentary "Cosmic Safari". Imaginary example of planet with silicon-based life.

PS (for Russians only) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMAQEaoLrYw - то же самое, но по русски.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• universe
• space
• biochemistry
• silicon
• evolution
• extraterrestrial
• life
• cosmic
• safari

[MrFakegods]

Wow, wow, wow. we have silicon based life here on earth..

I mean look at Pamela Anderson and Carmen Electra.

[powereater]

CARBON PRIDE!!

[rmaringas]

Mind = blown

[sickleandsuckle]

I was about to type an immature comment but stopped myself.

[Fichengafter]

@ConnorY71 very possible, we simply dont know enough yet.

[Zaksfudgebox]

@ConnorY71 if their dna contained silicon, that would mean the dna would be slightly heavier, so the dna would take a different shape and function, You gotta think more ahead. Also, silicon it way more conductive than normal carbon, so it'd be pretty cool to see how lifeforms are.

[ConnorY71]

Maybe silicon life forms consist of hydrocarbons like on earth but their DNA contains silicon instead of carbon. I'm not sure if this is possible though so correct me if I'm wrong.

[nicolasification1]

@AtollRu C,H,O,N,S,P are considered main elements of life, NASA said that it in a special case can be C,H,O,N,S e As. I am not so browbeated by that also, but I work for 18 years with bacterias in agriculture in research and practice and their comes a moment that you get the feeling that there is an underlaying something that is involved, When you don't know where to look for it's difficult to find anything, apart from the fact I'm not NASA and I don't have by far the means to investigate this.

[AtollRu]

@nicolasification1 OK, I'm agree, but this is just an interesting example of adaptation. There is nothing "alien" here! These bacterias live in the arsenic-filled lake, so... And btw phosphorus isn't main element of life (unlike carbon)

PS Although interesting discovery anyway.