Non-Carbon Based Life

Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur

Isaac Arthur

Science, Futurism, Sci Fi, Future, Scifi, Technology, Space, Engineering

4.8 • 739 Ratings

🗓️ 16 April 2020

⏱️ 26 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Science Fiction has long contemplated the idea that alien life not based on carbon chemistry such as silicon might exist on distant and strange worlds, or might be made to exist advanced biological engineering. What would such life be like? Watch the Video Version: https://youtu.be/Y584AjZmqwY Start listening with a 30-day Audible trial and your first audiobook plus two Audible Originals are free. Visit http://www.audible.com/isaac or text "isaac" to 500-500. Visit our Website: http://www.isaacarthur.net Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IsaacArthur SFIA Merchandise available: https://www.signil.com/sfia/ Social Media: Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1583992725237264/ Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/IsaacArthur/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Isaac_A_Arthur on Twitter and RT our future content. SFIA Discord Server: https://discord.gg/53GAShE Credits: Alien Civilizations: Non-Carbon Based Life Episode 234, Season 6 E16 Written by: Isaac Arthur Jerry Guern Editors: Darius Said Keith Blockus Cover Art: Jakub Grygier https://www.artstation.com/jakub_grygier Graphics by: Jeremy Jozwik https://www.artstation.com/zeuxis_of_losdiajana Katie Byrne Kristijan Tavcar https://www.miragedereve.com Music: Martin Rezny, "Lifelight" https://soundcloud.com/martin-re-n-1 Aerium, "Waters of Atlantis" https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRnUJY3l5vIJFGsY3XvW4dQ AJ Prasad of Dark Future, "Cold Shadow" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA8-7qwaEPU Paradox Interactive, "Distant Nebula" https://www.paradoxplaza.com Lombus, "Goldilocks Analemma" https://lombus.bandcamp.com Ross Bugden, "City Lights" https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQKGLOK2FqmVgVwYferltKQ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello, SFIA audio listeners, in this month's Nebula exclusive, Big Alien Theory,
0:05.2	we're asking the reason alien civilizations might be rare is because most aliens are huge.
0:10.5	To hear it and every episode early and add-free, plus hours of bonus content,
0:15.1	check out go.nebola.tv slash Isaac Arthur and use my code, Isaac Arthur.
0:20.2	This episode is sponsored by Audible.
0:23.0	The universe is a vast and ancient place where we hope to find life besides our own.
0:28.7	We often speculate about alien life and how it might differ, including life which might
0:33.2	operate on entirely different chemistry than our own.
0:36.5	But how realistic is that?
0:38.3	Almost since we began seriously contemplating life on other worlds, we speculated that perhaps
0:58.1	it might not run on chemistry similar to our own.
1:01.3	We'll be examining some of those alternative chemistries today, particularly silicon, as
1:05.7	well as some totally different approaches to life which might avoid chemical fuel in favor
1:10.2	of something like running
1:11.1	on direct sunlight by photovoltaic power, or even stranger sources like lightning on storm-racked
1:16.8	worlds or on geothermal power.
1:19.7	I want to say from the outset though that these are probably real rarities we're discussing
1:23.7	today.
1:24.7	Life needs powered run-on and raw materials that are amenable to being rearranged into
1:29.0	complex living forms.
1:31.0	The combination of sunlight, carbon compounds, and water fits those needs amazingly well,
1:36.7	and plants the right distance from their sun tend to be places where carbon and water
	...

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