FriendlyFire wrote:
I know that.
If you understand the chemistry, then what are you arguing about? 🙂 Or, if not really arguing then I misunderstood. Anyway, here is further explanation, just in case:
Silicon and arsenic are poison to humans, but they might be a normal part of a Horta’s diet.
SiO2 is stable, on Earth, at STP, in absence of catalysts, but that does not mean that it is inert. The same could be said of C02. But it does not really matter to our previous discussion because these are molecules rather than elements.
Consider chlorine and sodium. They are both extremely reactive and toxic, but sodium chloride (table salt) is both stable and a required part of our diets. The molecules have very different properties than the elements themselves.
The reason that semiconductors work is because of the magic of valence-four elements. They react with just about anything except for Group 18 elements. While the reactivity of carbon and silicon is low, they are far from inert.
The NASA announcement proves that our previous notions of “life” are wrong. It was widely believed that life required carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur. Now we know, for certain, that other chemistries can also work.
This opens the door to the possibility of life in other temperatures, gravities, light, radiation, and atmospheric environments. The big deal here is that it means that universe could be teaming with life, although it might not be anything like terrestrial life.
In other words, what is “toxic” to you may not be toxic at all to a Horta… or to other alien life forms.
Le malheur des uns fait le bonheur des autres, non?
@Moohhead: Yes, the Horta analogy fits NASA’s announcement perfectly. As for my nickname, I answered, and gave you the entire story. You never responded. Check your PMs from several months ago.
