# Aliens would kinda have to be similiar.. right?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aliens-would-kinda-have-to-be-similiar-right/753109>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [April 25, 2016, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aliens-would-kinda-have-to-be-similiar-right/753109 "2016-04-25T18:23:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2016, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aliens-would-kinda-have-to-be-similiar-right/753109/41 "2016-05-20T19:27:46Z")

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> [@Balance](#):
>
> Internally generated electromagnetic fields to manipulate ferrous tools. Finely controlled jets of liquid. Adhesive body surfaces. Biochemical control of symbiotic colonies of sessile lifeforms that attach themselves to the tools.

Or just mind control of hairless monkeys.

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**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aliens-would-kinda-have-to-be-similiar-right/753109/42 "2016-05-21T08:09:30Z")

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> [@TriPolar](#):
>
> Or just mind control of hairless monkeys.

Female Grogs? 😃

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**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aliens-would-kinda-have-to-be-similiar-right/753109/43 "2016-05-21T09:48:32Z")

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> [@Senegoid](#):
>
> Okay, so these hands-free aliens can create tools by precision squirting of acids on boulders they find laying around.
> 
> Now, how do these hands-free aliens go about _using_ those tools?

Granular jamming.

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**Author:** ![spamforbrains](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@spamforbrains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spamforbrains)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aliens-would-kinda-have-to-be-similiar-right/753109/44 "2016-05-21T14:39:11Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> but a great many of the products of evolution are solutions to macroscopic problems of mechanical engineering, optics, or other physical stuff. It’s of course not guaranteed that every form of life will ‘try’ to come up with physical solutions to macroscopic physical challenges - they might circumvent that altogether - but it’s a fair bet that many will.

We don’t know that this is necessarily true. Yes, insects, birds and bats have evolved wings, and it seems likely that a wing-like structure is one pathway to flight that any organism might resort to. But ultimately insects, birds, and bats all started with similar body structures and the same genetic background. If you started from a completely different background you might end up with an organism that evolved to fly like a hot-air balloon or a helicopter rather than with wings.

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