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Sillicon is actually significantly more common, so relative abundance isn't a good reason to use carbon. Carbon would be used because it performs better
by DrFalkyn 3y ago
Sillicon is actually significantly more common, so relative abundance isn't a good reason to use carbon. Carbon would be used because it performs better
- XorNot 3y agoI would argue abundance based on CO2 being a fairly common gas and "easily" processed. Silicon in silicate minerals is common, but it's much harder to crack out of them.
- mr_mitm 3y agoMaybe in earth's crust, but on a galactic scale carbon is more common. But they're both one of the most common elements either way, so I think other properties would be more important. The way the GP comment describes carbon-based technological life made out of transistors doesn't sound like the metabolize carbon to CO2 or would require a lot of water, though, which are two important markers when searching for life.