Interesting article on the "appearance" of alien life.

[TSD]

http://news.yahoo.com/science-fiction-fact-et-look-us-154109100.html



Is our body type the standard for intelligent beings? (2 arms, 2 legs a body and a head). Or would other intelligent life look insane?



I can see our basic body style possibly being advantageous to intelligent life, but I think the "details" would probably be vastly different. i.e. 5 fingers and 5 toes, being ape-like. But there may be a common theme to advanced intelligent life, certain attributes may simply be "the standard".

 

[winos5]

http://news.yahoo.co...-154109100.html



Is our body type the standard for intelligent beings? (2 arms, 2 legs a body and a head). Or would other intelligent life look insane?



I can see our basic body style possibly being advantageous to intelligent life, but I think the "details" would probably be vastly different. i.e. 5 fingers and 5 toes, being ape-like. But there may be a common theme to advanced intelligent life, certain attributes may simply be "the standard".

Shows like Jersey Shore challenge the veracity of that claim.

 

[TSD]

Shows like Jersey Shore challenge the veracity of that claim.

Biology only gives us the capability, can make us make use of it.



On the otherhand, like Jessica Simpson, I am convinced they are smarter than they portray to the public. Afterall they are all millionaires now and I am not.

 

[BigPete]

I enjoy how sci-fi shows and movies toy with the humanoid notion of aliens. Jabba the Hut still had arms and a head with a mouth, nose, eyes, ears...and so on.



It makes you wonder.

 

[Rex]

I enjoy how sci-fi shows and movies toy with the humanoid notion of aliens. Jabba the Hut still had arms and a head with a mouth, nose, eyes, ears...and so on.



It makes you wonder.

he was a giant slut.

 

[Rex]

err...slug lol

 

[supraman]

Alien life forms will look like penises

 

[jakobeast]

err...slug lol

You were right the first time.

 

[roshinaya]

Someone should do a statistical analysis of how common certain features are in lifeforms here on earth, such as eyes, mouth, number of legs, exo/endoskeleton etc. That could then maybe give an indication of how ET life could look like, with the assumption that they evolved on a planet with similar circumstances.

 

[BiscuitintheBasket]

Someone should do a statistical analysis of how common certain features are in lifeforms here on earth, such as eyes, mouth, number of legs, exo/endoskeleton etc. That could then maybe give an indication of how ET life could look like, with the assumption that they evolved on a planet with similar circumstances.

Plenty of studies out there. It is also how the whole naming scheme of the exists for animials, birds, etc. along with knowing the number of species. Something about an entire field of study and such.

 

[TSD]

Someone should do a statistical analysis of how common certain features are in lifeforms here on earth, such as eyes, mouth, number of legs, exo/endoskeleton etc. That could then maybe give an indication of how ET life could look like, with the assumption that they evolved on a planet with similar circumstances.

I think its just more or less you have to look for characteristics that are beneficial to a technologically advanced species. To produce technology you not only have to be mentally capable, but physically capable. i.e. if we walked on all fours and had paws, regardless of our intelligence, we wouldnt be living in a world with skyscrapers and cars as we would be physically incapable of such feats. So something like hands and arms dedicated to environment manipulation and not used primarily for mobility, prove useful.

 

[BigPete]

Why do you have to get all darwin and shit!?!

 

[supraman]

Actually most likely any alien life form would not be bipedal. Bipedalism is an evolutionary experiment still. We are the only species that is bipedal. You would most likely see a six limbed creatures. 4 legs, very stable and 2 arms with something similar to hands to interact with their environment.

 

[TSD]

Actually most likely any alien life form would not be bipedal. Bipedalism is an evolutionary experiment still. We are the only species that is bipedal. You would most likely see a six limbed creatures. 4 legs, very stable and 2 arms with something similar to hands to interact with their environment.

I think it all depends on what you had to start out with i.e. there are no mammals around of whom have 6 appendages as the standard, which is why we only have 2 legs. And a minor correction, we are the only species around today that is bi-pedal. MANY dinosaurs were bi-pedal and technically speaking when on their feet birds are bi-pedal too.



So ultimately for mammals reptiles amphibians and birds marsupials etc. For some reason 4 appendages were superior to any alternative, for whatever reason. So to assume 4 legs are better than 2 some where along the line in the evolutionary road an ancestor had to have a reason to have 6 legs, if not, it doesnt matter if 4 legs and 2 arms would be great as a intelligent being, you get 2.



As of now, our technology is our evolutionary advantage and 2 extra legs would be meaningless. there is no reason someone with 4 legs would outcompete someone with 2. Its not going to make them a better physicist, fry cook, web designer, etc etc.

 

[supraman]

I think it all depends on what you had to start out with i.e. there are no mammals around of whom have 6 appendages as the standard, which is why we only have 2 legs. And a minor correction, we are the only species around today that is bi-pedal. MANY dinosaurs were bi-pedal and technically speaking when on their feet birds are bi-pedal too.



So ultimately for mammals reptiles amphibians and birds marsupials etc. For some reason 4 appendages were superior to any alternative, for whatever reason. So to assume 4 legs are better than 2 some where along the line in the evolutionary road an ancestor had to have a reason to have 6 legs, if not, it doesnt matter if 4 legs and 2 arms would be great as a intelligent being, you get 2.

You are right. I didnt even think of that.

 

[Bringmepie]

Actually most likely any alien life form would not be bipedal. Bipedalism is an evolutionary experiment still. We are the only species that is bipedal. You would most likely see a six limbed creatures. 4 legs, very stable and 2 arms with something similar to hands to interact with their environment.

Supra's idea of extraterrestrial life makes me imagine Jako at a Ren-Faire.

 

[supraman]

I think it all depends on what you had to start out with i.e. there are no mammals around of whom have 6 appendages as the standard, which is why we only have 2 legs. And a minor correction, we are the only species around today that is bi-pedal. MANY dinosaurs were bi-pedal and technically speaking when on their feet birds are bi-pedal too.



So ultimately for mammals reptiles amphibians and birds marsupials etc. For some reason 4 appendages were superior to any alternative, for whatever reason. So to assume 4 legs are better than 2 some where along the line in the evolutionary road an ancestor had to have a reason to have 6 legs, if not, it doesnt matter if 4 legs and 2 arms would be great as a intelligent being, you get 2.



As of now, our technology is our evolutionary advantage and 2 extra legs would be meaningless. there is no reason someone with 4 legs would outcompete someone with 2. Its not going to make them a better physicist, fry cook, web designer, etc etc.

Now yes 4 legs holds no obvious advantage but from an evolutionary stand point 4 legs provide natural balance allowing less brain resources to be dedicated to balance, possibly even run faster too.

 

[TSD]

Now yes 4 legs holds no obvious advantage but from an evolutionary stand point 4 legs provide natural balance allowing less brain resources to be dedicated to balance, possibly even run faster too.

or cost more brain resources because thats 2 more appendages your brain has to control

. Dont get me wrong I have no clue what is and is not difficult for the brain to control or what costs more energy.



Considering cutting off your pinky toes will pretty much render you unable to balance, I think that toe has more to do with it than our brain.

 

[Tater]

or cost more brain resources because thats 2 more appendages your brain has to control

. Dont get me wrong I have no clue what is and is not difficult for the brain to control or what costs more energy.



Considering cutting off your pinky toes will pretty much render you unable to balance, I think that toe has more to do with it than our brain.

"It's a very valuable appendage"



- Cosmo Cramer

 

[supraman]

or cost more brain resources because thats 2 more appendages your brain has to control

. Dont get me wrong I have no clue what is and is not difficult for the brain to control or what costs more energy.



Considering cutting off your pinky toes will pretty much render you unable to balance, I think that toe has more to do with it than our brain.

There is a lot of brain power that goes into balancing on 2 legs compared to 4 legs.