Silicon-based life

[Guest cjdf]

Hi everyone,

 

Just wondered what views you all have on silicon-based life forms. Im in the middle fo writing an article and im looking for as much info as I can get.

 

For example, are silicon-based life forms (where silicon atoms replace all carbons atoms in all organic molecules) theoretically viable. Understandably they would be much larger, but would there be any other implications.

 

What would be their potential for growth and evolution, feeding, reproduction, parasitism etc...

 

Would love to hear all opinions...

[Kettle]

I think it would be viable as Silicon is generally very similar to carbon. However, due to its properties any silicon-based life forms would be extremely rigid and inflexible. I guess that means it would also develop and grow very slowly.

 

So some kind of plant could probably exist but a mobile animal would pose more of a challenge.

[Skye]

Silicon oxidises to silicon dioxide, silica, which is a solid (sand). Whereas we can expell carbon dioxide waste pretty easily, silicon dioxide would require alot more work to get rid of.

[Duster]

My father and I once debated this subject. The two thing he told me that would make this unlikely were the ridgity issue, but there was one more not mentioned here.

 

From what he and I have come to understand, and what makes the most sence to me, is that, even though Silicon sits right next to Carbon on the periodic table, their physical properties is diffrent enough that this is really not even a question. Carbon bonds very easily with the other elements of known life, while silicon needs to be forced to create these bonds. While this alone does not make the existance of Silicon based life impossible, it does mean that we would have to re-define what life is, therefor we will most likely never find silicon based life, because we will never look in the right place.

 

We now assume that a planet containing life would have to contain water. We also assume that it would have to fall into a certain temprature range, as well as be of a certain size. From what I understand, the tempratures required to make Silicon bond with other primary life giving atoms would have to be so high, that water could not exist unless the atlomasphere was very dence. Again, planetary bodys we ignore when concidering the possibility of life.

[JaKiri]

Carbon is unique.

 

No other element, under current understandings, can conduct the range of reactions that it can.

 

There is simply no other way that life could occur, under what we know.

[Guest energia]

so it may be possible that venus is crawling with silicon based life

 

is it not possible that silicon based life might not require oxidization at all

but may use some other element as a catalyst

 

another form of silicon life would be sentient computers

which would not be biological life at all

[greg1917]

"so it may be possible that venus is crawling with silicon based life"

 

Under what we know, thats so immensely unlikely its not even worth bothering to consider.

 

"is it not possible that silicon based life might not require oxidization at all

but may use some other element as a catalyst"

 

Again immensely unlikely.

 

"another form of silicon life would be sentient computers

which would not be biological life at all"

 

No they wouldnt. How exactly could they possibly come about in the first place without 'biological life' though?

[Guest scottthedot]

I am also writing a novel in which silicon based lifeforms (SBL) play a part, albeit a small one. First, though to convince you I'm serious: my novel as of today is 419 pages, or about halfway done, and it is my sixth (one was illustrated by me too). Only one article published thus far, alas.

OK, as to the possibility of SBLs, I think you have to turn a problem into a solution. If silicon forms weaker bonds than carbon, mix the life "cells" in a stronger matrix, like an Enstatite chondrite meteorite for example (very hard and made of metals mostly). Who says it can't be a symbiotic relationship with something inorganic to provide structure? You'll have to provide some way for the "cells" to coordinate their activity so they can perform the basic functions of all life: eating, respiration (maybe this is flexible), waste elimination, reproduction (perhaps accreation and division only?), locomotion (would be nice, but plants do without it). I'm working on some solutions to this for my own work, but as I said, it is a minor point. To me, the flaw in most science fiction is lack of focus on the characters, emotions and dramatic elements, not the science. I intend not to make that mistake.

[budullewraagh]

the problem with Si is that it's far too metallic to be used. it oxidizes and forms more polar bonds than C. the glory of C is that it can form a bond with H and have an electronegativity difference of .2

[zhuam]

Many people wonder about it. I think it is impossible to predict weather silicon based life is possible or not

[budullewraagh]

i still believe silicon is far too metallic to work. the bonds it makes are far too polar. also, think of the molecules you can make with carbon. you can't make many similar compounds with silicon.