"non-carbon based life"
I guess isn't silicon the only other that bonds four ways? Not a chemist but I feel that 4 bonds are a big thing.
I guess isn't silicon the only other that bonds four ways? Not a chemist but I feel that 4 bonds are a big thing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypothetical_types_of_biochemi...
Between them, carbon and water have a bunch of unique properties. AFAIK, its hard to come up with any other suite of materials offering the same prospects for complexity, at any temperature.
Also I don't see why you couldn't have an organism that "breathes" solid material.
> Silicon dioxide melting point: 1710 °C
No complex chemistry can survive these temperatures. SiO2 is only soluble in HCl and HF, which are very reactive, so no solubility either.
> Also I don't see why you couldn't have an organism that "breathes" solid material.
All of known biological chemistry relies on some sort of solubility for reagents. I don't think there's any known organism that can get rid of solid waste from the entire volume of the organism.
You can also have chlorine as your oxidizer and make Silicon tetrachloride which melts at −68.74 °C and boils at 57.65 °C, that temperature range is perfect.
What else will change by having a chlorine instead of oxygen atmosphere?