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Re:Observable Universe contains 10x more galaxies than previ... by bluGill on Thursday January 04, 2018 @10:37AM (#16071085)
Maybe, but unlikely. Life as we know it depends on some rare chemistry.

Carbon is the only atom [I know of] that can form long chains of double bonds (even triple though they tend to be unstable enough to not matter). Nothing else allows the chemical complexity needed for self reproduction.

Water is a weird molecule. Many chemical reactions happen in water that would be uncontrolled or not happen at all without water. The polar properties, the fact that is expands when it freezes (that is frozen water floats on liquid), and acid/bases are all interesting properties that are very useful for life. I suppose that something else could fill this role, but since water is common in the universe I doubt it.

Yes life elsewhere is unknown and so we cannot say for sure it will not look like our, but chemistry is a known.

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