Alien Life Beyond Water: Could Exotic Chemistry Support Complex Organisms?

This episode explores whether complex extraterrestrial life could exist using alternative biochemistries beyond water and oxygen. From ammonia and hydrocarbons to sulfuric acid environments, we examine how life might adapt to extreme worlds.

Challenging the traditional “follow the water” strategy in Astrobiology, the discussion considers how anaerobic systems or unconventional chemistry could still support complexity.

The result is a broader view of habitability—one that expands the search for advanced life in the universe’s most alien environments.

Thank you for listening to Bedtime Astronomy — your guide to the cosmos. New episodes on space exploration, NASA missions & the latest astronomy breakthroughs.

This episode includes AI-generated content.