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August 13, 2014
We Asked 7 Experts: What Would Aliens Actually Look Like?
"There is one thing that is nearly certain: an alien life form will be symmetrical. Everything we know of that grows follows a symmetrical pattern. Cut a tree in half lengthwise, the branches and roots on one side would be fairly similar to the other. The same applies to humans and all living growth, even inorganic growth such as crystals and galaxies.Aaron Rosenberg Cred: Science-fiction author
"Bilateral symmetry is actually a pretty crappy design, when you think about it. Yes, it looks nice and even but what's the point? Why have two sides exactly the same when you could have something completely different on the other side? Even the Daleks figured this one out—they had a sucker arm on one side and a laser on the other. And bipedal? Ridiculous—one good push and we fall over. Why would another world's race evolve with that exact same design flaw? Why would another world's race grow eyes and a nose and a tongue and all the other fiddly bits we have? They wouldn't.=- Popular Mechanics
Posted by gerardvanderleun at August 13, 2014 9:28 AM. This is an entry on the sideblog of American Digest: Check it out.
Your Say
Campo's a conservative.
Rosenberg's a LIEberal.
Study those 2 paragraphs, the signs are there and easily read.
Posted by: ghostsniper ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://americandigest.org/sidelines/nav-commenters.gif)
at August 13, 2014 11:05 AM
Now you know why I think sci-fi is nothing but mental masturbation for nerds.
Posted by: tscottme at August 13, 2014 12:53 PM
Rosenberg's flaw-full assumption is that our symmetry is not optimal. Damage to one side still permits adequate functioning of the remaining body via the other side's ability to improve its functionality. Front-to-back symmetry is lacking in all humans except politicians. This latter sub-species displays not only back-to-front symmetry [retreating spontaneously when confronted, turning tail, so to speak], but also top-to-bottom symmetry [a frequent posture is head-in-colon and using SFB].
The last, best hope for us bi-laterals is to join the L.O.O.S.E.B.O.W.E.L. movement, that is, League Of Outraged Stalwarts Eliciting Brilliant Opposition While Establishing Lawfulness]. This LOOSEBOWEL movement is sure to deconstipate Congress and our Laxative Executive, and to flush out the four-flushers.
Posted by: Stug Guts at August 13, 2014 5:17 PM
Rosenberg thinks that symmetrical bodies are non-optimal and therefore aliens will not be symmetrical?
He is confusing his preference with likelihood. I suspect that he either knows nothing about the evolutionary basis for the development of symmetry, or he doesn't bother to think before opining.
Posted by: pst314 at August 13, 2014 7:38 PM
How preposterous. That we should use Earth terms and parameters to define other-worldly beings.
Why not they are clouds of ammonia held together by dual valence force fields? Perhaps one alien would be as big as an aircraft carrier.
I see bipedal raccoons in the movies, why not floating gel clouds of radioactive substance?
My uncle Letsgo Lozko raised bantam chickens. Could not some of these humble fowl be from another galaxy?
Posted by: chasmatic at August 13, 2014 9:00 PM
The Amoeba form seems to be able to handle almost anything tossed at it. Super gravitational forces to weightlessness; need to binary fission of the nucleus solves the problem.
Posted by: Vermont Woodchuck at August 14, 2014 1:32 PM