Why do aliens look like us ?

Question

Okay, everytime people describe aliens...they have 2 eyes, 2 arms, 2 legs...are we so selfabsorbed, that we can assume they have the same physical body as we, humans, have ? And...the UFO's always have an engine, consist of metal and lights...thus..we assume again that they have the same starting technology as we have....so they would have to posess the same (earthly) materials as we do...doesn't this sound unlikely, assuming they come from outer space, millions of lightyears located from the earth ?

Answer 1

Of course it is. It is a little arrogant to assume that life would evolve in such a way so far from us, as if our genetics are the most effective. No where else in the universe would have the exact environment that we live in. Also, people have trouble imagining what we don't understand. The way our brains are developed makes it so that all we can imagine has to be based off of prior knowledge in some way. And so the aliens we picture are based off us, the only highly advanced life from that we know (unless you count dolphins and chimpanzees).

Answer 2

Part of it is lack of imagination, part of it is simply being unfamiliar with biology and considering of the fact that anything which evolves on another planet will have ZERO to do with the way life evolved on this one (even if, as autoglide suggests, the world has conditions similar to earth) but the biggest contributer is Hollywood.

For both of the above stated reasons, science fiction writers in Hollywood always portray aliens as humanoid (even the monstrous bug like Alien still has two legs, two arms with hands and a mouth). Part of their reasoning is also budget, because it's much easier to portray humanoid looking aliens, since its usually just a guy in a suit. You'll notice the ones which you see repeatedly (such as every species on Star Trek) look the most humanoid because the people making it have even less room in their budget.

If you're a Star Trek fan, however, it may interest you to know that there is actually an episode of The Next Generation which acknowledges this and provides and explanation for why all the different races are humanoid.


As for technology and materials, that depends. Their technology would develope according to their needs, which would be based on their biology. Take your imagination far and think of creatures which don't exit in the solid state, but rather gaseous or liquid. A creature like that certainly isn't going to come up with the same technologies we have. An underwater intelligence of any kind may be held back once they get to an industrial stage because they can't exactly work with electricity. On the other hand, the chemical elements are the same all over the universe, as are the laws of physics, so its likely an advance enough civilization would also use nuclear power, or chemical rocket engines.

Answer 3

Well we are the only intelligent species we know and we tend to associate our physical characteristics as part of our intellectual superiority. It is not far fetched a another sentient would share these same traits, e.g. 2 arms, 2 legs, 2 eyes, mostly hairless skin, etc. especially if they live on a planet like Earth. In fact, a lot scientists now believe that humanoid aliens are more plausible because stars in a group may share the same dust, which results in the similar make up of planets.

Answer 4

Well, a cynic would say it's because people make it up. Or because people want to imagine or are comfortable with the familiar. Or because the delusion simplifies things in this manner because it's well-understood.

Or perhaps, if they have been among us, their technology is sufficiently developed that they can have a false appearance that would give us comfort.

Assuming that something is different from you just because it's from a different space and time is just as dangerous of an assumption.

Answer 5

The laws of nature are the same no mater where you are. Just look around you. With all the diversity of life in this planet are you corious why so many designs are so similar? Dogs, Lions, Cats, Elephants, fish, shark, birds, monkeys, chimps, humans, insects, etc. The enviroment will dictate the shape. Physics will dictate how big a rocky planet can be. Add water and athmosphere and the conditions will be similar. No matter what, you will end up with similar designs.

Answer 6

I've thought about this before. If you believe in genetics and evolution then its not so far fetched that if there are beings on a parallel planet that they may have started with the same basic DNA and adapted themselves to their environment. Maybe their bodys and eyes are shaped differently for a reason. Or maybe they're so far advanced that we have to use what we know ( metal, lights, etc.) to explain them, because we don't know what exsists on other planets. Just a thought.

Answer 7

They look like humans because the descriptions are coming from humans who have NOT seen an actual imaginiation. The only origination of these descriptions come from the people's minds who created them. If Aliens do exist, it is possible for them to look like us, but do you really think they are that similar?

Answer 8

I have often thought the same thing. When someone describes something out of this world, then I might be impressed.

Answer 9

My dog told me he had a dream last night stating he got kidnapped by an alien. I asked what that alien looked like and he told me it looked just like another dog.

Answer 10

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