What do you think other alien species might look like?

They are either completely formless to where we couldn't really process them or they look like nothing we've ever imagined before. I doubt they're humanoid due to the fact that being an interstellar being would really frick with that.

quote:

---

They look like me.

---

Yes, they probably look like Bammers.

This is one of my favorite subjects. From what I've studied regarding astrobiology, we would not be surprised to find that alien biology would look very much like earth biology. There are certain factors that all life, complex life at least, must adhere to:

1. Symmetry - having two of most of everything is a survival strategy; spare parts;
2. Hands - ability to manipulate one's environment is a distinct advantage for a species;
3. Sensory organs - eyes, ears and noses distinguish prey from predator;
4. Brain - a central processing organ is efficient; the bigger, the better;
5. Size - too big = too much time spent feeding, too small = too vulnerable.

99% of the species that have ever lived are extinct but when we study their fossils we see a lot of evolutionary experimentation. Ultimately, though, all species that have ever lived or are living on earth have a lot in common. It's reasonable to think that creatures in other biospheres will, too, and won't be all that different from ours.

I'm smart enough not to believe in aliens, but if they do exist, I hope they are led by a community organizer also. Otherwise, we aren't nearly smart enough to have a chance. We would have been better of electing a janitor as President. At least he/she would have real work experience.

Some look like humans and some look like nothing you'd imagine.

I assume this:

You are correct in the general sense that natural selection over time favors more fit species but it's not like every species alive today are the genetic equivalents of the final four. There are so many forks in the road that evolution could have taken. So many similarities exist today because we all branch out from common ancestors. billion years ago germ X could've survived instead of germ Y and life today would be radically different. No asteroid and intelligent life on earth today could be descended from reptiles or even mollusks like octopus

quote:

---

So many similarities exist today because we all branch out from common ancestors. billion years ago germ X could've survived instead of germ Y and life today would be radically different.

---

Actually, it couldn't be radically different because all life on earth has the same "starter packet" that has been passed down for some 3.8 billion years. When the existing tree of life began, there may have been competition from other trees of life but ours won out and has squelched any others that may have begun.

There have been searches, some that are still ongoing, for other trees of life but nothing has been found to date. No fossils either.

quote:

---

No asteroid and intelligent life on earth today could be descended from reptiles or even mollusks like octopus

---

Dinosaurs ruled for 140 million years. Many species walked on two legs and had arm-like appendages. None learned to use those appendages to manipulate their environment.

Only the raptors can be said to have advanced intellectually, and that wasn't by much. If the asteroid had not hit, they might have had another 65 million years to evolve into sentient beings.