What are aliens? Are they short green men, tall insect like creatures, or something that is beyond the comprehension of human beings? Whether they are flying around in their UFOs or are hiding on some unknown planet in an ocean, there are numerous possibilities for these extraterrestrial life forms. But what are the aliens actually like? In this article, we will discover the science behind aliens and also look at some outrageous science fiction concepts about aliens.
What Aliens Might Look Like:
The Sci-Fi Standard: The little green men and the bug-eyed monsters
Science fiction has given us many visions of aliens and has helped to shape our expectations of what aliens are like for years. Some of the most iconic depictions include:
👽 The Classic “Grey” Alien – These guys have huge black eyes, large heads, small mouths, and thin bodies. These guys are all over from The X-Files to real-life UFO abduction stories.
🦎 The reptilian elites – The alien lizards with scales, who are said to be living among human beings (something that is claimed by some conspiracy theorists). V or the Sleestaks in Land of the Lost, are best representations of these aliens.
🛸 Cosmic Tentacled Horrors – The advanced civilization that we can’t even comprehend comes in the form of a giant squid monster with tech as shown in The Thing or Independence Day.
👾 Insectoids & Hive Minds – A collective intelligence, exoskeleton based and ant-like creatures are also seen enjoying a place in films like Starship Troopers or Ender’s Game.
🐙 Blobs, Energy Beings, & Shape-Shifting – Why even have a body at all? The aliens in Solaris, Arrival and Doctor Who suggest that intelligence does not have to look like ours in any way.
🚀 You may want to take a look at this list of The 50 Greatest Alien Movies for some of the best sci-fi alien designs.
What Scientists Think Aliens Might Actually Look Like
Astrobiologists have come up with far more plausible (yet still rather interesting) concepts about the alien biology. If life on other planets does exist then it would have been shaped by the environment of the planet in question. Here are some possibilities:
1. Carbon-Based Life (Just Like Us, Only Different)
Carbon-based life forms are common on Earth and hence, one can assume that aliens could also be carbon-based. But evolution can make them very different from humans. That is:
• Super-Earth Giants – A planet with higher gravity may lead to short, broad, and muscular people to support the pressure.
• Low-Gravity Floaters – Life may have evolved to become balloon-like organisms that float through the atmosphere like the jellyfish in the ocean on a gas giant.
🌍 If you want to know more about how planets affect life, then click on NASA’s Exoplanet Exploration.
2. Silicon-Based Life (Rock Monsters, Anyone?)
Another element that could be used for life is silicon, which could result in stone-like creatures. Imagine having:
• A hard, heat resistant body (they are suitable for very high or low temperature planets).
• Put it in slow metabolism – perhaps they live for thousands of years.
This theory has created aliens such as the Horta in Star Trek, a rock monster literally.
3. Aquatic Aliens (You Thought It Was Space Octopuses)
Since there are many forms of life in Earth’s oceans, many scientists think that water worlds (like Jupiter’s moon Europa) can contain alien life forms.
• They could have tentacles for intelligence, just like Earth’s octopus.
• They may not develop fire or tools and, therefore, have limited technical progress.
🔬 People are currently looking for life on oceanic moons. More details from NASA’s Ocean Worlds can be found here.
4. Photosynthetic Life (Walking Plants?)
If a planet has a lot of light but not much food, life might become energetic like plants.
• Sci-fi horror? Sentient trees or walking shrubs would be ideal.
• A plant-like species could exist for hundreds of years or maybe even centuries before moving or communicating.
🌱 Learn how alien planets could perform photosynthesis at Scientific American.
5. Totally Strange Life Form.
Does aliens have to be something that we can easily recognise? Some scientists think:
• They could be energy beings, they could be pure electricity.
• They may be exist in some other dimensions.
• It is possible that we have already met them and our brain just does not allow us to see them.
This idea is also featured in books like The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin and theories about the shadow biospheres, alien life that is already on Earth and hidden.
Do We Stand a Chance of Recognising Aliens If We Meet Them?
Here’s the kicker: The aliens might not be what you imagine. They may not be like us, they may communicate in a way we can’t comprehend, or they may even be microscopic.
This issue is explored in detail in Paul Davies’ The Eerie Silence, which raises the question of whether we may fail to recognize alien intelligence.
However, if you are more into videos, then you can watch BBC’s “The Search for a Second Earth,” a documentary about looking for alien worlds.
Final Thoughts: Are There Aliens Out There?
Science tells us that there is life elsewhere, but what aliens might look like is a mystery. Whether they are bug-eyed monsters, space jellyfish or beings so advanced that we can’t even imagine what they might be, the possibilities are endless.
In the meantime, if you are looking for a real alien encounter, we highly recommend the Alien Abduction Lamp– the only UFO that will not leave you wondering whether you are actually going crazy.
Keep on exploring, Earthlings. 👽✨
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