Is it coincidence or arrogance that causes us to imagine aliens as oxygen breathing bipeds?
Stephanie Smith reckons the truth is out there. TV and movies have presented many warped images of what aliens could look like. The slug-like aliens in Star Trek, Ridley Scott’s Alien with its acidic blood and double mouth, Jabba the Hutt. “Before exploring other solar systems we should check out what’s on our own celestial doorstep.” However, most tend to be humanoid and, helpfully, speak English. The Klingons and Vulcans from Star Trek are household names. Luke Skywalker and Han Solo are envisioned as human, despite being from “a Galaxy far, far away”. Even ET breathes oxygen and walks on two legs. But what if real aliens looked like nothing on Earth; would we be able to identify them as living organisms? As early as the 19th century scientists began to think outside the box. It’s thought that German astrophysicist Julius Scheiner was the first person to theorise on the possibility of silicon-based life forms. Silicon lies just below carbon in the periodic table and shares many of ca
