Science fiction and scientists have been proposing alternate forms of life for a long time. I love TNG (and SW) but have to point out that their ideas in many

Science fiction and scientists have been proposing alternate forms of life for a long time. I love TNG (and SW) but have to point out that their ideas in many places aren't new. Example: Silicon based lifeforms It's in the same column as carbon so we can have similar bonding structure and properties, so why not silicon-based life instead of carbon-based?