…comes from the virtual pages of Space.com. This is actually similar to a conversation I’ve had in real life. In the hunt for extraterrestrial beings, the focus doesn’t need to be on what makes life possible for us.
Now, by us I mean Homo sapiens. When I read space news about new planets that could sustain life, it basically just means scientists believe they’ve found a planet that could sustain us. Yes, the phrase used is, “life as we know it”, but that’s a bit weak right? At this point biologists could be doing better. We already know that there are lifeforms which synthesize light for food, as well as chemicals. The way “life” is defined is narrow.
Which brings me to table-top gaming. It is highly, highly unlikely gaming will have very much to do with the actual search for extraterrestrial life. It could, but doubtful. However, it is a staging ground for all kinds of great hypothetical approaches to what life could be. There’s no reason a game couldn’t go explore oceans of methane and come across new life.
Personally, I’ve often wondered how the periodic table might be amended. What other minerals, chemicals or what have you might exist? What might their existence have on other lifeforms? Maybe this is what makes light speed travel possible? I’ve often though this was a lot of fun, and seeking out these raw materials with a willing group is a very appealing adventure. At least to me, but hopefully to others as well. Who knows, maybe it’ll happen in real life and gaming will have aided the search.
Pulp Culture Museum 
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