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Sulfur is capably [sic] of forming long-chain molecules like carbon. Some terrestrial bacteria have already been discovered to survive on sulfur rather than oxy
by mhartl 17y ago
Sulfur is capably [sic] of forming long-chain molecules like carbon. Some terrestrial bacteria have already been discovered to survive on sulfur rather than oxygen, by reducing sulfur to hydrogen sulfide.
Terrestrial bacteria use H2S an an energy source, not as the basis of life. Extraterrestrial life will almost certainly be carbon-based---or rather, its ancestors will be. ET, if we find it, will almost surely be a machine intelligence.
- rriepe 17y agoMachines have a lot of disadvantages that aren't readily apparent. Machines have to build collection systems or mine energy sources to thrive. We live on stuff that grows out of dirt-- that's pretty handy. Of course, machines could become more and more advanced if they didn't go extinct in those first pivotal years, but I think it'd be to the end of looking organic. And if you're going to life out of something, make sure it's low on the periodic table. We're carbon-based because that's what works.