Alien Discussion Thread

In the past few years scientists have learned that life can exist in almost unlimited types of environments. Also they are willing to admit to an extent that mabey not all life is limited to a carbon-based existence. This given, what all types of life do you think might exist out there, and on or within our own planet?

More than we can count, all the star systems, planets etc, out there. One probably could only imagine the worlds of worlds.

I am confident that there exists a multitude of life throughout our universe. Whilst it is true that we have yet to find evidence of life within our own solar system, it is also true that only one planet in our solar system meets the requirements for life, at least as we currently understand it.

This understanding of life - that animals require oxygen, food and water, for example - seems to be fairly accurate, given that we have yet to find evidence of creatures that fall radically outside these basic requirements. We have yet to discover an animal that breathes methane, for example. This being said, I would not be surprised in the slightest to learn that such animals did in fact exist on a planet with a methane-rich atmosphere. Whilst we certainly see no evidence for radically different forms of life within our solar system, we must also take factors such as the distance of planets from the sun, the environmental extremes that most planets in our solar system undergo and the different masses and subsequent gravity differences experienced on most planets. Perhaps if a planet in another solar system received an adequate amount of heat and conditions were not radically extreme, specific environmental adaptations would occur to suit the specifics of that planet.

We already know, from our studies of life on Earth, that life will almost always find a way to exist, given conditions that are even remotely nurturing. We observe ourselves and the animals around us and declare that "animals require oxygen to live". Yet plants do not. Who knows what other adaptations might occur on planets with a variety of atmospheres and environments?

I think, however, that it is true that certain traits will almost always be present to some extent. For example, it makes sense for animals to have their eyes in their head, so that there is minimal lag time for processing visual information. It would be interesting to see what characteristics, if any, prove to be universal due to their inherent application in promoting survival.

The desire to discover and examine new forms of life is natural to humans and will, I believe, only increase as we develop ever more efficient methods of space travel. I personally feel that when humans begin to travel through space in earnest, we will quickly develop an appreciation for its enormity and grandeur. If we repeatedly discover barren, liefeless world after world, we stand to become rather lonely in the vast, unimaginable emptiness of space. Imagine the ramifications of discovering even a simple form of life on another planet. After all, who knows what may be out there? Is that not what drives us to go and see for ourselves?

[edit on 31/8/05 by Jeremiah25]

Many forms of bacteria inexplicably exist in the vacuum of space. So there is little or no doubt that "Life" exists out there.

Now, I am more than open to alternate forms of life outside our current comprehension for life. However knowing the multiple billions of variables involved with the creation of "sentient beings"or "aliens" per se is another matter altogether.

I agree. The number of chemical compounds we have yet to discover could lead to the spawnig of some pretty wild life forms in our point of view.

I believe there are other sentient beings out there. Some exploring the great spances of our universe, some just getting started. Thats what makes it so interesting. The variations are almost endless.

Now who here believes in the existence of life forms on another plain of existence. Or beings of energy. I've always been open to the idea, just never looked into it much. I would like to learn more.