Could aliens look like us?

[WheelieAddict]

There are microbial aliens in our solar system. Watch out for those guys

 

[Tuatara]

On planet Qitzerbreage the alien population, still in their infancy, looks like purple algae with powdered sugar. On the more advanced system of Kanddareia which is over 20,000 Light years away they look like Scorpions with the head of Alfred Hitchcock wearing a toupée.

 

[bripat9643]

There's nothing 'special' about our particular shape. There's plenty of 'intelligence' to be seen in dogs, dolphins and birds, and any one of these could, given the right circumstances, and a few million years, be as capable as we are, of raping the planet.
We just got there first.
So the 'aliens' are as likely to look like an octopus, but probably something we would struggle to believe.

How is a species that doesn't have hands going to develope writing, bronze tools and the wheel?

 

[WinterBorn]

There's nothing 'special' about our particular shape. There's plenty of 'intelligence' to be seen in dogs, dolphins and birds, and any one of these could, given the right circumstances, and a few million years, be as capable as we are, of raping the planet.
We just got there first.
So the 'aliens' are as likely to look like an octopus, but probably something we would struggle to believe.

How is a species that doesn't have hands going to develope writing, bronze tools and the wheel?

A tentacle.

 

[bripat9643]

There's nothing 'special' about our particular shape. There's plenty of 'intelligence' to be seen in dogs, dolphins and birds, and any one of these could, given the right circumstances, and a few million years, be as capable as we are, of raping the planet.
We just got there first.
So the 'aliens' are as likely to look like an octopus, but probably something we would struggle to believe.

How is a species that doesn't have hands going to develope writing, bronze tools and the wheel?

A tentacle.

Ever seen a creature with a tentacle that doesn't live in the water? It's hard to make steel when you live under water.

 

[WinterBorn]

There's nothing 'special' about our particular shape. There's plenty of 'intelligence' to be seen in dogs, dolphins and birds, and any one of these could, given the right circumstances, and a few million years, be as capable as we are, of raping the planet.
We just got there first.
So the 'aliens' are as likely to look like an octopus, but probably something we would struggle to believe.

How is a species that doesn't have hands going to develope writing, bronze tools and the wheel?

A tentacle.

Ever seen a creature with a tentacle that doesn't live in the water? It's hard to make steel when you live under water.

You are applying standards from Earth to an alien. There is no reason a tentacle could not be effective for manipulating things, using tools ect.

 

[bripat9643]

There's nothing 'special' about our particular shape. There's plenty of 'intelligence' to be seen in dogs, dolphins and birds, and any one of these could, given the right circumstances, and a few million years, be as capable as we are, of raping the planet.
We just got there first.
So the 'aliens' are as likely to look like an octopus, but probably something we would struggle to believe.

How is a species that doesn't have hands going to develope writing, bronze tools and the wheel?

A tentacle.

Ever seen a creature with a tentacle that doesn't live in the water? It's hard to make steel when you live under water.

You are applying standards from Earth to an alien. There is no reason a tentacle could not be effective for manipulating things, using tools ect.

Tentacles can't exist in dry air, and creatures that live under water are never going to develop technologies like metal working.

 

[WinterBorn]

There's nothing 'special' about our particular shape. There's plenty of 'intelligence' to be seen in dogs, dolphins and birds, and any one of these could, given the right circumstances, and a few million years, be as capable as we are, of raping the planet.
We just got there first.
So the 'aliens' are as likely to look like an octopus, but probably something we would struggle to believe.

How is a species that doesn't have hands going to develope writing, bronze tools and the wheel?

A tentacle.

Ever seen a creature with a tentacle that doesn't live in the water? It's hard to make steel when you live under water.

You are applying standards from Earth to an alien. There is no reason a tentacle could not be effective for manipulating things, using tools ect.

Tentacles can't exist in dry air, and creatures that live under water are never going to develop technologies like metal working.

Why can't they? There are examples of snails and other creatures that live on dry land that have tentacles. In the environment of an alien world, there is no telling what evolved.

 

[WinterBorn]

Behold the Star-Nosed mole.

 

[bripat9643]

How is a species that doesn't have hands going to develope writing, bronze tools and the wheel?

A tentacle.

Ever seen a creature with a tentacle that doesn't live in the water? It's hard to make steel when you live under water.

You are applying standards from Earth to an alien. There is no reason a tentacle could not be effective for manipulating things, using tools ect.

Tentacles can't exist in dry air, and creatures that live under water are never going to develop technologies like metal working.

Why can't they? There are examples of snails and other creatures that live on dry land that have tentacles. In the environment of an alien world, there is no telling what evolved.

Snails don't have tentacles. If you watch an octopus out of water you'll see that all its tentacles lie flat on the ground. They can't lift them into the air.

The only thing that even comes close on dry land is the trunk of an elephant, and having only one grasping appendage is a severe limitation. Furthermore, I doubt anything as massive as an elephant could develop stuff like a carriage or motor vehicle or any other mode of transport they could ride in. Is it possible for smaller animals to have trunks? That, we don't really know at this point. Only one animal on earth has a trunk, but numerous species have hands.

 

[bripat9643]

Behold the Star-Nosed mole.

Those things on its nose aren't used for grasping.

 

[WinterBorn]

A tentacle.

Ever seen a creature with a tentacle that doesn't live in the water? It's hard to make steel when you live under water.

You are applying standards from Earth to an alien. There is no reason a tentacle could not be effective for manipulating things, using tools ect.

Tentacles can't exist in dry air, and creatures that live under water are never going to develop technologies like metal working.

Why can't they? There are examples of snails and other creatures that live on dry land that have tentacles. In the environment of an alien world, there is no telling what evolved.

Snails don't have tentacles. If you watch an octopus out of water you'll see that all its tentacles lie flat on the ground. They can't lift them into the air.

The only thing that even comes close on dry land is the trunk of an elephant, and having only one grasping appendage is a severe limitation. Furthermore, I doubt anything as massive as an elephant could develop stuff like a carriage or motor vehicle or any other mode of transport they could ride in. Is it possible for smaller animals to have trunks? That, we don't really know at this point. Only one animal on earth has a trunk, but numerous species have hands.

The key part of that last sentence is "...on earth...". You have no way of knowing what aliens would develop or the environment they evolved in. To dismiss everything because of what has evolved on earth is simply ridiculous.

No, the star nosed mole does not grasp things with the tentacles. But they are an example of terrestrial animals with tentacles. Your assumption that only an animal the size of an elephant would have a trunk is another example of you trying to limit the possibilities of the physical features of extraterrestrials based solely on featues you observe on earth creatures.

 

[WinterBorn]

Also, why are you requiring any aliens to have developed on dry land?

 

[bripat9643]

Ever seen a creature with a tentacle that doesn't live in the water? It's hard to make steel when you live under water.

You are applying standards from Earth to an alien. There is no reason a tentacle could not be effective for manipulating things, using tools ect.

Tentacles can't exist in dry air, and creatures that live under water are never going to develop technologies like metal working.

Why can't they? There are examples of snails and other creatures that live on dry land that have tentacles. In the environment of an alien world, there is no telling what evolved.

Snails don't have tentacles. If you watch an octopus out of water you'll see that all its tentacles lie flat on the ground. They can't lift them into the air.

The only thing that even comes close on dry land is the trunk of an elephant, and having only one grasping appendage is a severe limitation. Furthermore, I doubt anything as massive as an elephant could develop stuff like a carriage or motor vehicle or any other mode of transport they could ride in. Is it possible for smaller animals to have trunks? That, we don't really know at this point. Only one animal on earth has a trunk, but numerous species have hands.

The key part of that last sentence is "...on earth...". You have no way of knowing what aliens would develop or the environment they evolved in. To dismiss everything because of what has evolved on earth is simply ridiculous.

No, the star nosed mole does not grasp things with the tentacles. But they are an example of terrestrial animals with tentacles. Your assumption that only an animal the size of an elephant would have a trunk is another example of you trying to limit the possibilities of the physical features of extraterrestrials based solely on featues you observe on earth creatures.

What I'm trying to tell you is that the laws of physics preclude animals that live in dry air from developing tentacles, especially for large animals. Tentacles are relatively heavy and weak because they don't have an internal skelaton. Water bouys them up, so their weight isn't an issue in water, but in dry air their weight becomes a big issue. Tentacles would never be very functional for an animal that doesn't live in the water. Your star nose mole doesn't have tentacles. Those are sensory organs, not tentacles.

Any species that is going to develop technology is going to need some kind of grasping appendage, and that means it will almost certainly be composed of bone and muscle. Something like a hand with an internal skeleton is about the only thing that is going to do the job. Maybe it only has 3 or 4 fingers, or maybe it has 7 fingers, but it will have fingers, and it will have an internal skeleton and have muscle to make to move. A creature with an exoskeleton will never become technological because claws simply do not have the same dexterity and sense of touch that a hand does.

 

[bripat9643]

Also, why are you requiring any aliens to have developed on dry land?

You can't build fires and smelt copper and steel if you live underwater.

 

[WinterBorn]

Also, why are you requiring any aliens to have developed on dry land?

You can't build fires and smelt copper and steel if you live underwater.

Magnesium burns underwater. We have volcanic vents in many places at the bottom of oceans. Again, you are assuming aliens life forms follow the same development as we find on earth.

 

[WinterBorn]

You are applying standards from Earth to an alien. There is no reason a tentacle could not be effective for manipulating things, using tools ect.

Tentacles can't exist in dry air, and creatures that live under water are never going to develop technologies like metal working.

Why can't they? There are examples of snails and other creatures that live on dry land that have tentacles. In the environment of an alien world, there is no telling what evolved.

Snails don't have tentacles. If you watch an octopus out of water you'll see that all its tentacles lie flat on the ground. They can't lift them into the air.

The only thing that even comes close on dry land is the trunk of an elephant, and having only one grasping appendage is a severe limitation. Furthermore, I doubt anything as massive as an elephant could develop stuff like a carriage or motor vehicle or any other mode of transport they could ride in. Is it possible for smaller animals to have trunks? That, we don't really know at this point. Only one animal on earth has a trunk, but numerous species have hands.

The key part of that last sentence is "...on earth...". You have no way of knowing what aliens would develop or the environment they evolved in. To dismiss everything because of what has evolved on earth is simply ridiculous.

No, the star nosed mole does not grasp things with the tentacles. But they are an example of terrestrial animals with tentacles. Your assumption that only an animal the size of an elephant would have a trunk is another example of you trying to limit the possibilities of the physical features of extraterrestrials based solely on featues you observe on earth creatures.

What I'm trying to tell you is that the laws of physics preclude animals that live in dry air from developing tentacles, especially for large animals. Tentacles are relatively heavy and weak because they don't have an internal skelaton. Water bouys them up, so their weight isn't an issue in water, but in dry air their weight becomes a big issue. Tentacles would never be very functional for an animal that doesn't live in the water. Your star nose mole doesn't have tentacles. Those are sensory organs, not tentacles.

Any species that is going to develop technology is going to need some kind of grasping appendage, and that means it will almost certainly be composed of bone and muscle. Something like a hand with an internal skeleton is about the only thing that is going to do the job. Maybe it only has 3 or 4 fingers, or maybe it has 7 fingers, but it will have fingers, and it will have an internal skeleton and have muscle to make to move. A creature with an exoskeleton will never become technological because claws simply do not have the same dexterity and sense of touch that a hand does.

As you stated, an elephant's trunk is a tentacle. Limiting aliens to only one because elephants only have one is ridiculous.

 

[bripat9643]

Also, why are you requiring any aliens to have developed on dry land?

You can't build fires and smelt copper and steel if you live underwater.

Magnesium burns underwater. We have volcanic vents in many places at the bottom of oceans. Again, you are assuming aliens life forms follow the same development as we find on earth.

You can't even find pure magnesium in nature. It's always combined with other elements. Creating pure magnesium requires the use of heat and oxidising chemical processes. That means it requires air.

Yeah, there is lava under the ocean, but how do you use it to produce iron? Explain how that would work. Creating steal and iron above water requires blowing large quantities of air through a furnace packed with oxidizing substances. How do you do something equivalent underwater?

 

[WinterBorn]

Also, why are you requiring any aliens to have developed on dry land?

You can't build fires and smelt copper and steel if you live underwater.

Magnesium burns underwater. We have volcanic vents in many places at the bottom of oceans. Again, you are assuming aliens life forms follow the same development as we find on earth.

You can't even find pure magnesium in nature. It's always combined with other elements. Creating pure magnesium requires the use of heat and oxidising chemical processes. That means it requires air.

Yeah, there is lava under the ocean, but how do you use it to produce iron? Explain how that would work. Creating steal and iron above water requires blowing large quantities of air through a furnace packed with oxidizing substances. How do you do something equivalent underwater?

I am not saying I know how an alien culture developed its technology. I am simply pointing out that there are things on earth that show what I said to be possible.

For all we know, aliens developed telekinesis and need no appendages at all.

 

[bripat9643]

Tentacles can't exist in dry air, and creatures that live under water are never going to develop technologies like metal working.

Why can't they? There are examples of snails and other creatures that live on dry land that have tentacles. In the environment of an alien world, there is no telling what evolved.

Snails don't have tentacles. If you watch an octopus out of water you'll see that all its tentacles lie flat on the ground. They can't lift them into the air.

The only thing that even comes close on dry land is the trunk of an elephant, and having only one grasping appendage is a severe limitation. Furthermore, I doubt anything as massive as an elephant could develop stuff like a carriage or motor vehicle or any other mode of transport they could ride in. Is it possible for smaller animals to have trunks? That, we don't really know at this point. Only one animal on earth has a trunk, but numerous species have hands.

The key part of that last sentence is "...on earth...". You have no way of knowing what aliens would develop or the environment they evolved in. To dismiss everything because of what has evolved on earth is simply ridiculous.

No, the star nosed mole does not grasp things with the tentacles. But they are an example of terrestrial animals with tentacles. Your assumption that only an animal the size of an elephant would have a trunk is another example of you trying to limit the possibilities of the physical features of extraterrestrials based solely on featues you observe on earth creatures.

What I'm trying to tell you is that the laws of physics preclude animals that live in dry air from developing tentacles, especially for large animals. Tentacles are relatively heavy and weak because they don't have an internal skelaton. Water bouys them up, so their weight isn't an issue in water, but in dry air their weight becomes a big issue. Tentacles would never be very functional for an animal that doesn't live in the water. Your star nose mole doesn't have tentacles. Those are sensory organs, not tentacles.

Any species that is going to develop technology is going to need some kind of grasping appendage, and that means it will almost certainly be composed of bone and muscle. Something like a hand with an internal skeleton is about the only thing that is going to do the job. Maybe it only has 3 or 4 fingers, or maybe it has 7 fingers, but it will have fingers, and it will have an internal skeleton and have muscle to make to move. A creature with an exoskeleton will never become technological because claws simply do not have the same dexterity and sense of touch that a hand does.

As you stated, an elephant's trunk is a tentacle. Limiting aliens to only one because elephants only have one is ridiculous.

You'll notice that elephat trunks are hanging striaight down most of the time. That's because they are heavy in relation to their strength. Human appendages are much more useful because they are relatively light and can be used to lift things and carry them for long distances.

And elephants only have one trunk. Making things requires the use of at least two appendages. When you make something you often require one hand to hold the material being worked on and another to use the tool being applied to it. Just try to make a stone spear point with only one hand. It's impossible. How would an animal with a trunk sew a shirt or a tent to protect it from the cold?