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3rd October 2003, 06:39 AM
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Considering the chemistry of carbon and silicon,Is there a possibilty of a silicon based life form apart from viruses? |
3rd October 2003, 08:37 AM
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Reps: 16,712 (power: 43) | | | possibly, but unlikely. iirc silicon doesn't form as stable bonds as carbon.
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3rd October 2003, 09:51 AM
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Reps: 37 (power: 0) | | | There has been some investigation of the alpha constant which is dependent on gravity and elecrtomagnetic forces which indicates there may be changes over time. This would affect the bonding forces in atoms and molecules.
Maybe some where out there the variation has produced some different molecules
Or science fiction |
3rd October 2003, 09:53 AM
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Reps: 16,712 (power: 43) | | Originally Posted by fungle There has been some investigation of the alpha constant which is dependent on gravity and elecrtomagnetic forces which indicates there may be changes over time. This would affect the bonding forces in atoms and molecules.
Maybe some where out there the variation has produced some different molecules
Or science fiction
oh the fine structure constant? well that would be quite noticable, and it would blow up stars and stuff.
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3rd October 2003, 09:58 AM
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Reps: 37 (power: 0) | | | A small change has been detected while looking at the possibility of changes in the velocity of light.It might only take a very small
change
Last edited by fungle; 3rd October 2003 at 10:43 AM.
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4th October 2003, 03:38 PM
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Reps: 307 (power: 0) | | | Would silicon based life not make it even more fragile than it already is. This would change the whole scope of Organic Chem class...
__________________ None of the gods love wisdom or desire to become wise, for they are wise already -- nor if someone else is wise, do they love wisdom. Neither do the ignorant love wisdom or desire to become wise; for this is the grievous thing about ignorance, that those who are neither good nor beautiful nor sensible think they are good enough, and do not desire that which they do not think they are lacking.
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4th October 2003, 03:40 PM
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Reps: 16,712 (power: 43) | | Originally Posted by fungle A small change has been detected while looking at the possibility of changes in the velocity of light.It might only take a very small
change
that small change is a VERY small one. we aren't talking big enough to make silicon a feaible substitute for carbon.
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4th October 2003, 03:56 PM
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Reps: 307 (power: 0) | | | I read something about this a few years ago but cannot remeber exactly where. This article basically said life would be very "breakable" as in a glass state and simply would not work. Blood vesels would become rigid etc. etc...
__________________ None of the gods love wisdom or desire to become wise, for they are wise already -- nor if someone else is wise, do they love wisdom. Neither do the ignorant love wisdom or desire to become wise; for this is the grievous thing about ignorance, that those who are neither good nor beautiful nor sensible think they are good enough, and do not desire that which they do not think they are lacking.
Plato, Symposium 203E-204A
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4th October 2003, 04:28 PM
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Reps: 907 (power: 0) | | Originally Posted by Jet Black that small change is a VERY small one. we aren't talking big enough to make silicon a feaible substitute for carbon.
That's not really the major issue. Silicon simply doesn't exist in the same quantities as carbon. Really life could probably use silicon (some undersea bacteria do) but carbon is so much more abundant that it would be ridiculous to accept 2nd best when you have to scrabble for it. |
5th October 2003, 05:03 AM
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Reps: 37 (power: 0) | | | How about a comparison of the amount of carbon and the amount of silica in rocks. The crust and mantle are quite large and made of thousands of different silica compounds. | | |
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