On Sun, 26 Nov 2000 22:04:26 -0500 george murphy <gmurphy@raex.com>
writes:
> Someone at church today asked me (apropos a discussion of
> anthropic principles) about something he had seen on TV (no
> explicit
> reference) about tubular structures which had been found at thermal
> vents in the Atlantic & which were supposed to be evidence of
> silicon
> based life. I don't think that Si-based life has been found (!)
> but
> have some vague recollection of a news item which might have given
> rise
> to this report. Can anyone remember such a thing more clearly?
>
> Shalom,
>
> George
>
>
If my memory serves, several decades back there was speculation that life
somewhere in the universe could be based on Si rather than C, since both
have 4 electrons in the outer shell. However, more recently I read that
the size and electro-activity of Si made it impossible to have the
complex forms necessary to life. C forms rings with 3 or more members,
sometimes including N, O or other atoms, as well as larger complexes like
the porphyrins.
Dave
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