Studying Alien Life for Biomimetic Design

Stephen Hawkings recently posted a commentary saying that alien life might threaten earth. One could argue that any adventurous, advanced civilization has its share of aggressive traits, along with its curiosity or need to find new places to live. What if it wants to cohabitate? Would our defensive instincts lead to war just as it did with Native Americans?

http://www.lockergnome.com/cellphones/2010/04/26/hawkings-warns-of-extraterestrial-life-contact/

Beyond this pure speculation, studying alien life forms is a topic for NASA's Astrobiology Center, for which I helped plan the public-private partnership approach. For the mission to Mars, NASA is asking "What is life?" and "Will recognize it when we get there?" Perhaps Martian life will be totally unlike that on earth. It could come in different shapes, sizes and materials; it could be an electrical pulse.

Marine biologists studying life in deep thermal vents give us a look at other unfamiliar forms of life on earth. These studies, combined with astrobiology, could open totally new fields of study.

What is the usefulness of astrobiology for sustainable earth applications? Today, many designers look at biomimetics -- the study of life forms and functions -- for new product design concepts. Just as airplane designers looked to birds for wing design, perhaps astrobiology will lead to new biomimetic design concepts. Perhaps a future ET and its spaceship will help us design next-generation space vehicles and communications systems.