I like to look around the net to get ideas for extraterrestrial life for my own concepts. I was looking at the periodic table trying to get ideas on what life could be based on other than carbon and I type a few elements in and came across one interesting possibility, boron. boron-based life
boron overcomes many of the limitations silicon faces in forming polymers and the size of the molecules that form. These reactions are even better in low temperatures where ammonia rather than water would be a solvent. We have even been able to create a boron buckyball, that's a cage-shaped molecule of about 60 atoms. Boron Buckyball: Materials Scientists Find Stable, Spherical Form For Boron
As mentioned in the first link the biggest drawback is it's scarcity.
So I would like to know your thoughts on this possible alternative? Can you see any more benefits or drawbacks to it's use?
Well it is possible. But i guess life based on Boron would be different as the element mixes better with other kind of elements then carbon. But, would life be so variant and complex? Carbon can easily change and mix with stuff and that makes it more stable and solid. Then again, I could be wrong.
Why wouldn't it be? We do see life that at least in part substitutes elements. I was thinking it might be a viable alternative in places where carbon wouldn't be able to take hold.
As mentioned in the first link the biggest drawback is it's scarcity.
Scarce for where we know. I'm sure somewhere out there are areas where it's not so scarce. I'm not too knowledgeable on the subject, but from what is said here I don't see why not if the chance is there.
