Since time immemorial, humans have gazed up at the stars and wondered if we’re alone in the universe. We have asked if there are other intelligent beings out there in the vastness of the cosmos, also known as extraterrestrial intelligence (ET). Yet, despite our best efforts, we have yet to confirm the existence of ET outside of the Earth. While the search continues, it’s fair to speculate if they might look “human” or humanoid in appearance, or if they could look like something else entirely. Here, we present a general examination and discussion with astrobiologists pertaining to what ET might look like and what environmental parameters (e.g., gravity, atmospheric makeup, stellar activity) might cause them to evolve differently than humans.
“Some body plans may be more optimal than others, in the sense that they may be more streamlined, suitable for locomotion, etc,” Dr. Manasvi Lingam, who is an astrobiologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Aerospace, Physics, and Space Sciences at the Florida Institute of Technology, tells Universe Today. “However, if extraterrestrial technological species do exist, they might take a number of forms. We cannot rule out humanoid species, but I believe that one could conceive of other body plans. For example, they could have decentralized brains akin to octopuses.”
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