So, Aliens.....

[Ollie d]

Haha brilliant...weren't they distant relatives though?

 

[Barnfred 55]

I reckon theres about four

There's at least that many over at Anfield alone mate. Sorry for swearing Mods

 

[Barnfred 55]

Agree generally there mate! What do you think about about the possibility of non-carbon based life? I know some scientists believe that it is theoretically possible to have life cycles based on silicates instead of carbon.

It's life Jim but not as we know it

 

[Barnfred 55]

I would imagine so, this snippet from an article gives you an understanding why I think that:

it means that the chances of our planet being the universe's only potentially habitable rock that actually hosts life would be not one in a million, one in a billion or even one in a trillion -- but one in a sextillion. (In case this is your first time seeing that word, a sextillion is a one with 21 zeroes behind it.)

Or to put it another way more than every grain of sand on every beach on Earth. Surely there must be at least semi intelligent lifeforms somewhere given those numbers.

Unfortunately it's very easy for me to identify with the words "sex" and "zeros" in the same sentence.

 

[summerisle]

 

[mezzrow]

 

[chrismpw]

I mean extra terrestrial (calm down Bruce).......personally I reckon there are loads out there, for no other reason than there are so many planets that we can't even count them.......so yes or no.......

Highly probably. Yet due to the vast distances involved, and the laws of science, as we understand them, I do not think for a minute that say have come here.
Of course, maybe we don't understand the science properly.

 

[The Cowboy]

Given the vastness of the Universe it seems possible but the amount of exact requirements for carbon based life to exist it's also possible that the same conditions don't occur anywhere else.

Given how much research has taken place regarding the birth of the universe, the elements that exist on earth and in the universe etc, is it likely that 'life' would require the same conditions as earth, and that a lifeform would follow a similar molecular structure to whatever exists on earth (by that, I mean if scientists know where we came from, then they'd kind of know the make up of every planet that could exist), or could there be countless undiscovered elements existing somewhere in the universe meaning a lifeform could be existing completely beyond our comprehension?

 

[larbert toffee]

 

[chrismpw]

Given how much research has taken place regarding the birth of the universe, the elements that exist on earth and in the universe etc, is it likely that 'life' would require the same conditions as earth, and that a lifeform would follow a similar molecular structure to whatever exists on earth (by that, I mean if scientists know where we came from, then they'd kind of know the make up of every planet that could exist), or could there be countless undiscovered elements existing somewhere in the universe meaning a lifeform could be existing completely beyond our comprehension?

Undiscovered elements are unlikely. The larger ones are ones we've made, don't exist in nature (for the following reason), are unstable and last a matter of milliseconds. This isn't to say that perhaps even bigger elements might become stable again, when we get that far.
You're right though. Carbon atoms on earth are the same as carbon atoms everywhere, and there isn't an element that comes close to doing the life enabling chemistry that carbon does. Similarly water as such a superb diverse solvent to carry nutrients and dissolved gasses, so necessary to enable transport within cells. - so for life, you would need similar conditions to earth.

 

[The Cowboy]

Undiscovered elements are unlikely. The larger ones are ones we've made, don't exist in nature (for the following reason), are unstable and last a matter of milliseconds. This isn't to say that perhaps even bigger elements might become stable again, when we get that far.
You're right though. Carbon atoms on earth are the same as carbon atoms everywhere, and there isn't an element that comes close to doing the life enabling chemistry that carbon does. Similarly water as such a superb diverse solvent to carry nutrients and dissolved gasses, so necessary to enable transport within cells. - so for life, you would need similar conditions to earth.

You say that, but I've been to Derby, which proves that life can exist in the most uninhabitable conditions, so who knows, right?

 

[dublinbluenose]

The Tunnel nightclub in Arklow Co. Wicklow proves be you any doubt that non-human life exists

Its very plausible that life exists in other dimensions around us that we can't see or currently be aware of. Quantum mechanics is hot on the trail of them.

 

[tadao]

Its very plausible that life exists in other dimensions around us that we can't see or currently be aware of. Quantum mechanics is hot on the trail of them.

It's a bit of a leap though.

 

[ilikecheese]

They probably taste like chicken.

 

[Librarian]

if those horrible MF'ers come near me I'll poke their 5 eyes in, there's no diplomacy with these fellas. Once your guard is down they whip out the ray gun with the left hand, grab your mother by the neck with the right, finger your sister seven ways with the middle hand whilst darting your missus front and back with both flutes