Is carbon-based life the only possibility?

Subject: Is carbon-based life the only possibility?

Date: Fri Dec 12 19:31:49 2003
Posted by Denni
Grade level: grad (science) School: none
City: Hinton State/Province: AB Country: Canada
Area of science: Biochemistry
ID: 1071279109.Bc

Message:


While carbon serves as an excellent backbone for life in the temperatures we see 
on Earth, it cannot perform as well at temperatures below -100 degrees C or above 
about 200 degrees C. For higher or lower temperatures, is there an atom which 
might replace carbon as the basis of reactive compounds which could support  
self-replicating compounds, ie, "life"?

Re: Is carbon-based life the only possibility?

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