why cant living things from outer space live without oxygen?

Question

Why cant they live inhaling other gases as we live on oxygen? What if they are made to live with other gases ?

Answer 1

GOD has the answer... science cant always really explain the existence or that something... how? then that is that...

Answer 2

This is, of course, assuming we encounter living creatures from outer space...

We breathe oxygen because we need it for respiration, the chemical reaction in the body which makes energy for cells to function. Respiration uses oxygen to release energy from carbon based compounds. Breathing is just a mechanical process which allows living things to get oxygen to their cells.

There are other gases that can be used in living things to release energy. An example is Hydrogen Sulphide- some deep sea creatures actually rely on this and not oxygen.

So it is possible for living things to "breathe" other gases.

It worthwhile noting that in nature the focus is on being as efficient as possible, getting the most energy from the smallest effort. Respiration wirh oxygen (aerobic respiration) releases a lot of energy, similar processes without oxygen release much less energy.

I think that if we do encounter alien creatures that don't breathe oxygen, they will most likely be using gases that can produce a lot of energy.

But if the gas they use isn't as efficient as our oxygen-based process, their physiologies will have to different depending on the properties of the gas. They may be smaller, may move more slowly, may not use lungs.

The chemical properties of elements mean that there are so many possibilities and the universe is so vast, that i think there is life out there.

It is narrow minded and unimaginative to assume that our way of "living" is the only possible way.

Answer 3

Well, first off, space is a vacuum, so there are NO gases in space. If there are gases surrounding other celestial objects (planets or whatever) then in theory a silicon based life form could exist in that environment. How's that for the most nerdy answer you've ever heard?!? lol

Answer 4

We are working like chemical factory. Others may work nuclear. We use oxygen to burn. Flour gases can be much better for burning but in earth oxygen is more than the flour gases. so we use to live in oxygen .

Answer 5

Who says they can't, however, space itself is a vacuum but if your talking about other planets then who knows what type of life they may have. Just because we are oxygen base does not mean the entire universe is, there is lots of things we do not know about space yet.

Answer 6

It's true that we don't have evidence of life forms outside of Earth, but we can't exclude the existence of other life forms. Judging from the size of the entire universe and beyond what we already know as the universe, to think that we are the only life form is to show our conceit and egoism. Other life forms may exist and exist in systems and environments with life support and needs entirely different from ours.

Answer 7

How can we say that creatures from extra terrestrial space need oxygen to survive.
There are two parts to your question:
(1) Acknowledging existence of extra terrestrial creatures.
(2) Acknowledging that they indeed need oxygen to survive.

Answers to both is a fantasy world today, space research has given possibilities of presence of environment conducive for life forms, life forms that we know about on earth.
We do not know anything about life forms different from that of earth, We know of existence of microscopic life forms on earth under very abnormal conditions that exists in and around fumaroles, natural geysers etc. at very high temperature and pressures where normal life forms cannot exist. Many of such life forms do not need oxygen to survive, it does not mean that they are extra terrestrial.
We cannot rule out possibilities of life forms very different from what we perceive so far or know about. Earth is unique for the life forms that we know about. Similarly other planets can have life forms that might be needing environments different from that of earth, they might be having different anatomy and physiological requirements, also different kind of source of energy (food) and we require different kind of sensors to see them.
We just do not know anything as yet. It is conjectures and more a fiction that a reality, to accept extra terrestrial life forms visiting us. To say, why cant living things from outer space live without oxygen? Implies that you accept their presence and that they are like us.
To the best of my knowledge existence of extra terrestrial life forms is yet to be proved in spite of alleged reporting of UFO sighting and sighting of people alighting from such UFO’s.
thnks

Answer 8

First off, we have no evidence of life outside of Earth.

Second, who says they need O2. For all we know, there may be organisms that breathe NOx.

Third, why the heck do religious freaks like Joshua feel they are competent to answer anything in science?

Answer 9

Who says they can't?

We'd have to find living things from outer space first. (Meadsy excepted).

Maybe they could live off pickled onion Monster Munch and beer.