What if somewhere in the galaxy/universe there has evolved a silicon based life form (silicon is the stuff microchips are made of)
how would this life form have evolved would it be like computers that "grow" would they be like a combonation of organic life and machine might this race be naturally extremely intelligent and they could have some sort of collective memory that passes experiences on to a new generation that way eliminating the need to spend years learning old things

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in my opinion a silicon life form would be entirely feasible. Sorry to start introducing all these chem terms, but in perspective, we, as well as all life on earth, are carbon based. Carbon is probably the most flexible element because of its relativly small size and the fact that it can combind in polymers due to its 4-electron valence shell. Silicon is the element directly below carbon on the periodic table, it also has that 4-electron valence shell, however the silicon atom is slightly larger than the carbon atom. Thus it might not be the "first choice" of life as its backbone, but it would definatly be one of its major building tools in another world.

As to whether this life form would be computer like, i do not beleive so. Silicon microchips are made by humans. I think we just found it a good material to make these chips out of. (It would be awsome to see a race of computers though)

I beleive a silicon based life form would be not all that different from what we see here, on earth. But who knows, its all up to the imagination.

silicon is also a semiconducter and thats the reason why they used it in computer chips. also sand is a silicate with the base structure of SiO2. this is also part of the reason it is in chips because sand is the most abundant form of earth on Earth

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no need to be sorry you are clearly understood


another reason is that silicon is not the first choice is because of the way carbon bonds itself together its very flexible, silicon might not be that flexible because of its semi-mettalic like form its also much heavier than carbon just a little over twice as much, actually nitrogen might be a better one for life its about the same weight as carbon, and say these nitrogen based life forms had liquid nitrogen running through their veins as blood they would be great energy conservers and possibly great thinkers because of the extreme cool temperatures, supercomputers use liquid N to cool them off, like we humans for example we could think "faster" but we would soon pass out because of the extra heat from our brains
but silicon is more present in nature than any other element besides oxygen

there is a good movie on nitrogen based life forms called "EVOLUTION" its kinda funny it has that guy mulder from the x-files

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You are still thinking that that this race would be computer related if they where based off of nitrogen. I don’t think they would be. A human’s body temp. Is somewhere around 96.8 to 98.6 just because human get colder dose not mean that they start thinking better if anything a human mind would start to shut down, get slower dew to the fact that the hart would not be pumping blood as fast to the brain like it need to function properly.

...no Pamela Anderson's chest would have to rank no.1 there I'm afraid.

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Number one indeed Mickey and I wouldn't mind one bit to examine them and let you all know how well it feels and looks on her. hehe

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While it is true that silicon is indeed like carbon in being that it readily binds with other elements, the number of elements suitable for life that it binds with is a bit of a problem. Silicon binds too weakly with some elements/compounds and too strongly with others. Still, that does not mean that somewhere life exists in a silicon- (or nitrogen-) based form.
Here's just a side note: Our liquid of base is water. I read somewhere that ammonia is similar to water in many qualities. Perhaps the silicon-based lifeforms drink ammonia...
End of line.

-Snoopy

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I guess somebody has read "Sentenced to Prism " by Alan Dean Foster lately.
(SF- adventure about a merchant crashing on a planet inhabited by silicon lifeforms that function like computers and by semi-organic/semi-silicon lifeforms, you even get the "librarians", all silicone extremely smart life-forms with collective memory. Idea-poacher. It would have been nice if the ideas really were your own...)

i think a race of computers would be awesome...hehe...

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I suppose if there were a race of computers,it would be quite interesting.And yet at the same time it could be scary. Well if a race of computers appear, i guess we'll all find out if it is awesome it is(unless it turns out to be horrible).

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