Xenobiology

BY LETTER

Xenobiology

The study of alien life, also known as Exobiology
Image from Anders Sandberg
A biome on New Gaia

Xenobiology is the study of non-Terragen life. The most common and widespread group of alien life-forms are carbon/oxygen based biota, usually incorporating proteins, carbohydrates and nucleic acids, although this group is extremely diverse and no two independently-evolved biotas have exactly the same biochemical composition.

Xenobiology also includes the study of exotic and extremely non-terragen biospheres such as those that gave rise to the Muuh or the Soft Ones, and completely inorganic naturally evolved forms such as the Rheolithoids, as well as the descendants of xenobiological forms known to be partially or entirely of artificial origin, such as the life forms produced by the Halogenics, or the various Cybyotan worlds. Even the evolved mechosphere at Stanislaw has received attention from xenobiologists.

Though only a few worlds rival the wealth of life forms present on Old Earth before the Great Dying, a single biosphere is still an entire field in itself from the point of view of ordinary sophonts, though comparative xenobiology is a rich field as well.

Image from Jay the Tardupod
Filamentomycota, a clade of lichen-like organisms on Macrystis

Articles

Abiogenesis, Lithopanspermia and Translocation - Text by Steve Bowers
Varying modes by which life may arise on a planet.
Angel Hair - Text by Steve Bowers
Few Jovians have their own indigenous ecologies, but some gas floating balloontype organisms have been provolved, either by the Mirrored Owls using hylonano to join their group mind structures, or by the Premacy in the Argo expansion direction by geneering for an increase in size to accommodate larger nervous systems.
Animal - Text by Stephen Inniss
Strictly speaking, any member of a major group of related Old Earth organisms that are multicellular, eukaryotic, motile at some or all stages of life, and digest their food internally. More broadly, any similar biological organism, Terragen or otherwise, and natural or otherwise.
Barkbat - Text by Todd Drashner
A large predator, the barkbat clings to the trunks of the skywracks and uses its wings in a gliding flight to hunt other creatures that live in the canopy.
Barocapnic Life - Text by Liam Jones
Life adapted to Venusian (cytherian) type worlds.
Bilateral Symmetry - Text by M. Alan Kazlev and Stephen Inniss
Any organism or device having symmetry along only a single axis (left and right), in contrast to radial or spherical symmetry.
Chlorine Worlds - Text by Stephen Inniss
Chlorine worlds are like typical Eugaian worlds, with one important difference: the planet has an unusually high proportion of chlorine, and the process of photosynthesis releases free chlorine in significant quantities.
Chorus - Text by Stephen Inniss
Homeworld of the xenosophont provolves the Jade Chime Singers.
Chorus - Xenobiology - Text by Stephen Inniss
Of the known Chlorine Worlds, Chorus has one of the richest and most diverse biospheres.
Conchsquid - Text by Steve Bowers
An apparently naturally evolved species of space-dwelling lifeform, confined to a single gas giant's ring system.
Cookie Fiend - Text by John B
A subsophont predatory lifeform native to the planet Elmo resembling a giant chocolate chip cookie with legs.
Cosmoamoeba, Giant Space Amoeba - Text by M. Alan Kazlev and Oliver
Cosmoamoeba gigas lagoonensis, one of the curious phenomena discovered in the Lagoon Nebula (and later in the Trifid Nebula) are a population of amorphous blobs that vary in size from 500 meters when contracted to several tens of kilometers when extended.
Crystallographer's Nightmare - Text by Liam Jones
A white dwarf star in the Perseus arm, containing a native biosphere based on crystal dislocations within its core. The biosphere is the most complex example of its type known, and the first discovered.
Cybyota - Text by Steve Bowers
Mechanical/biological world-seeding and terraforming agents of non-Terragen origin that have apparently evolved into independent life forms since their origin.
Deepwood - Text by Todd Drashner
Deep space orwood species of probable alien origin.
Devil's Rose - Text by Todd Drashner
Carnivorous xenobiotic plant.
Doreen/Doreens - Text by Stephen Inniss, expanded and amended from original material by Anders Sandberg
Chlorine world, former home of the extinct Doreens.
Duxed - Text by Everything4404
Garden World, a moon with an extreme tidal range.
Eden Institute of Xenoscience - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A successful, respected, highly formalized and highly conservative Institute and academocracy, located at Niu Mynti. The Institute specializes in xenobiology, xenology, xenopsychology, xenodiplomacy and xenolinguistics, although it also covers many related disciplines. It collects information from all known alien biospheres and cultures, sending out expeditions to study new alien species and acting as consultants on all forms of Terragen-alien interactions.
Elmo - Text by Steve Bowers
Garden World in Monoceros, 1071 ly from Sol.
Exobiology - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Also Xenobiology, Astrobiology. During the Atomic, Information and Interplanetary periods this was the speculative study of biology, biochemistry, and life forms on worlds other than Earth (at that time no non-Terragen life was known through direct contact). The termed was coined by atomic age scientist Carl Sagan. It is now very rarely used.
Exotic Biochemistry, Alien - Text by Anders Sandberg
Although Non-Terragen biochemistries are rarer than terrestrial ecologies, they are not uncommon. Cold ammonia or methane ecologies are rarer, while chlorine, neutron star, free space or plasma ecologies are very rare.
Extremophile - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A rather chauvinistic term for any biological organism, whether terragen or xenobiont, natural or tweaked, that requires extreme (non-Earthlike) environments for growth or metabolism.
Felis Minoris II - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A cold planet altered by the unnamed species HIE236PPE (an extinct xenosophont race) so that it supports an ecology of cold-adapted lifeforms. These lifeforms share a common ancestry with those found on 13 other worlds.
Flitterhounds - Text by Andrew P.
Flying animals from Chorus.
Garden Worlds - Text by The Astronomer, Steve Bowers 2020
Worlds that support a complex biosphere and macroscopic life forms.
Grabgrass - Text by Todd Drashner, Ryan B, and Mark Ryherd
Carnivorous plant-form native to most of the temperate and sub-tropical regions of Ridgewell.
Hamilton Institute of Exopaleontology - Text by Aaron Hamilton, M. Alan Kazlev, John M. Dollan
One of the great scientific Houses of the Integration, the Institute was founded on the new University planet of Upali C/D II during the golden age of the 6th millennium, when relativistic exploration ships were increasingly encountering ancient and enigmatic ruins and relict tech of lost civilizations.
Hellswarm - Text by Todd Drashner
A creature that combines all the less pleasant traits or aspects of terragen Africanized 'killer' bees, army ants, and locusts. On its homeworld, a hellswarm can strip a region of life as effectively as a major forest fire. The only defense is to either run away or burrow deep underground. Fortunately, the swarm is a short lived phenomenon, living only long enough to swarm, feed, breed, lay eggs in the soil, and die. The entire life cycle of the creature is only about 3 Terran days. The eggs may lie dormant in the ground for many years until environmental conditions (usually a warm, wet summer) triggers a mass hatching and a new hellswarm.
Honeywhip - Text by Todd Drashner
Carnivorous arboreal predator from the planet Trees
Invertebrate - Text by Stephen Inniss
Generic term of convenience for animals that do not have a vertebral column. The vast majority of Terragen animals, including such important phyla as the arthropods, annelids, nematodes, echinoderms and molluscs are invertebrate.
Jovibiota - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Generic term for large aerial xenobiota (sometimes called "gasbags") that have evolved on a number of Jovian Class worlds.
Khowagong - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Large aquatic animals not unlike a Terragen sea slug crossed with a dugong, native to the Pelagic planet Tamarinde (Phoebus Prefecture, Solar Dominion).
Lamptail - Text by James Rogers
Lamptails are a family of arthropod-like organisms native to the planet Trees
Leviathan (Animal) - Text by Todd Drashner
Very large sea-going animal native to New Poseidon.
Life-zone - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
The region around a star within which a planet can have a temperature allowing liquid water on the surface. Also known as bio-zone.
Macrystis (Garden World) - Text by Original short article by Steve Bowers 07 December 2011
Garden World in Camelopardalis, Solar Dominion.
Muuh Cellular Biology - Text by Liam Jones
Nanoscale biomechanics of low-temperature biology in cryosolvents.
Ndiangu Mme Anwu System, The - Text by Radtech497
Carbon world with a natural ecosystem.
Palaeoxenology - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
The study of ancient or extinct non-Terragen sentient life.
Papercutters - Text by Banelord, Salty, TSSL, Jay the Tardupod, Worldtree, Schwefel Kamm, & DocViviLeandra
Tiny organisms which cut vegetative matter to feed the symbiotic "molds" they cultivate. Papercutters live in communities of hundreds to thousands of individuals. Since their discovery on the garden world of Macrystis, they and numerous variants have been spread across the Terragen Sphere to millions of worlds and orbitals.
Paralymph - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Limner blood/lymph circulatory fluid.
Phytoplankton - Text by Stephen Inniss
Autotrophic planktonic organisms that are the primary producers within their ecology, usually via photosynthesis. Most often they are of microscopic size.
Pspyder - Text by Todd Drashner
Colony life form native to the planet Trees.
Puffer Patch - Text by Todd Drashner
A small predator native to Ridgewell, that spends most of its life in a sessile state, but is capable of using metamorphosis to change to a mobile form when environmental conditions require it.
PuYlong Ring - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A quasi-living field of planetary ring material.
Radial Symmetry - Text by Stephen Inniss
Symmetry around a central axis; organisms with radial symmetry have a dorsal and ventral surface but are roughly similar on every side, though they may show fourfold, fivefold, sixfold, or eightfold symmetry.
Ran (Epsilon Eridani) - Text by Updated by The Astronomer 2021
Inner Sphere system; the birthplace of the Eridanus League, Terragens' first known interstellar polity.
Rheolithoids - Text by Steve Bowers, updated by The Astronomer, dangerous_safety 2021
High plasticity mineral-based high temperature lifeforms.
Rollerox - Text by Todd Drashner
Plains dwelling, herbivorous creature indigenous to Nui Spiridonia.
of their world, using their sonar to navigate.
Ruach Singers - Text by Anders Sandberg
Tube-like predators from Ruach, able to swim like sea snakes in gas giant atmospheres. They get their name for their extremely powerful sound, which they use for navigation, internal signaling, mating displays and as a sonic weapon. Mirrored Owl hosts.
Ruach Toroids - Text by Anders Sandberg
Natural inhabitants of Ruach. Symbiotic autotrophs-heterotrophs shaped like translucent toroids, covered with brightly colored photosynthetic symbionts. They filter nutrients through the central hole, which they can also use as a jet to move away from danger and steer. Mirrored Owl hosts.
Sailfin - Text by Todd Drashner
Aquatic crustacean-like lifeform that is a natural sailboat. Native to the planet Trees.
Shona - Text by Radtech497
Outer Volumes moon with an unusual indigenous biosphere orbiting a resonant MesoJovian world
Shur'rooss'hur - Text by Steve Bowers
A domesticated beast on To'ul'h Prime, about the size of a Shetland Pony.
Skywhale (To'ul'h species) - Text by Steve Bowers and Andrew P.
Large flying invertebrate filter-feeder native to To'ul'h Prime.
Skywracks - Text by Steve Bowers
Giant plants from the planet Trees up to a kilometre in height.
Species - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
The basic unit of biological classification in Linnean or neoLinnean systems.
Spherical Symmetry - Text by Stephen Inniss
Symmetry such that an organism is similar if divided in half along any plane.
Spockbat - Text by Andrew P.
Flying predator on To'ul'h Prime.
Stiltwalker - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Large tetrapodal terrestrial herbivore indigenous to the savannas of the northern continent of Calinder's World (Lacustric Subtype. Cygexpa middle region, near the Zoeific Biopolity border. Eden Institute Scientific Reserve).
Taxonomy and Xenotaxonomy - Text by Steve Bowers
The classification of naturally-evolved and artificial organisms.
Terralife - Text by John B (credit to Jonathan Burns)
Any form of life which developed naturally on Terra (Old Earth). Specifically excludes any mods to the base lifeform.
Thiogen Plant Life - Text by Liam Jones
In many of the biospheres of the 158 known Thiogen-colonized worlds, Terragen explorers have categorized two main kingdoms of photosynthesising multicellular life: the ribbon plants and the bubble plants, each of which appear to have evolved multicellularity separately. Both kinds have a dark red photosynthetic pigment characteristic of Thiogen biospheres.
Tho'rahl'shothan - Text by James Rogers
A landsponge native to the planet To'ul'h Prime, commonly used as a recreational drug.
To'ul'h Prime Phylogenetic Tree - Text by Andrew P.
Evolution of To'ul'h fauna and flora.
Tohul Fauna - Text by Andrew P.
Complex lifeforms found on Tohul.
Trees (Garden World) - Text by Anders Sandberg
A self-sufficient Garden World with a spectacular vertical ecosystem; the planet is named after the gigantic trees that grow there.
Vijayanta III - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Terraformed by HIE236PPE.
Whisper - Text by Todd Drashner
Planet covered in a sophont grassland xenoecology, perhaps of artificial origin.
Xenobacter Mirabilis - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Derived bacterium found on Mykropht III - easily gengineered to form symbiotic upregulated DNA repair systems used by soft radnads in the Radiation Nation and elsewhere.
Xenobiochemistry - Text by Stephen Inniss
Xenobiochemistry is the study of the comparative biochemistry of Terragen, neogen, and xenobiont organisms. This includes alternatives to water as a solvent, alternative photosynthetic processes (xenophotosynthesis), and many other topics.
Xenobiologist - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
One who studies non-terragen lifeforms.
Xenobiont - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Generic term for alien (non-terragen) lifeform. May be animal-like, plant-like, protistan, exotic chemistry, or any other possibility. Does not have to be sophont. In fact just as on Earth, very few alien species ever evolve any measure of cognitive intelligence.
Xenobiota - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
The totality of non-terragen life on a specific planet or non-terragen ecosystem.
Xenophotosynthesis - Text by Stephen Inniss
On Old Earth the dominant photosynthetic organisms split water to release oxygen. This is the most common sort of photosynthesis on inner system gardenworlds. However, water is not the only source, and oxygen is not the only possible result.

The study of alien life, also known as Exobiology