We are accustomed to collectively refer to humans and other organisms as carbon-based, because the components of life are all carbohydrates; and systems such as computers or chips are collectively referred to as silicon-based, because the basic material of the chip is silicon dioxide.

Since the main component of sand is silica, colleagues at chip companies sometimes jokingly call themselves sand sellers.

Carbon and silicon are in the same group of the chemical periodic table, in the middle of the table.

This is no coincidence as both are semiconductors.

In the past, semiconductors were considered useless materials because they were not pure enough, did not conduct electricity like metals, and were not insulating enough.

However, things are unpredictable. Semiconductors, with their excellent "interconnection" capabilities, can be widely combined with surrounding elements, and can form different states (0 and 1) through electronic control, completing the sublimation from analog to digital.

Having the ability to "storage" and "compute" is the prerequisite for intelligence.

In these semiconductors, carbon and silicon are both tetravalent elements, and there are 4 positions outside the atom that can be combined with other elements.

In three-dimensional space, 4 is a magic number, because the regular tetrahedron, the smallest regular polyhedron in space, has the most stable structure.

In this way, with carbon as the core, extremely complex organic matter can be evolved by combining surrounding elements such as hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen, and then form carbon-based life.

On the surface, carbon-based life has extraordinary physical advantages.

The long carbon chain, DNA double helix, and exquisite base pairs are perfect information storage tools.

Scientists further speculate that since the elements and physical laws are the same throughout the universe, the creation of life most likely follows the same formula: carbon base + hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen + liquid water + rocky planet.

In other words, the origin of alien life is likely to be carbon-based and require an Earth-like planet.

Silicon is far less stable than carbon, but under the package of technology, it has the ability to integrate on a large scale and has the ability to calculate quickly, which allows silicon-based artificial intelligence to catch up.

If we admit that the essence of life lies in things such as memory, calculation, and consciousness that are independent of their carriers, then silicon-based ones have advantages over carbon-based ones. As long as the storage of information can be realized logically, there is no need for physical processes like carbon-based life.

Make so many preparations to achieve "overtaking in corners".

Even if you think about it, it is most reasonable for the future life form to be in a pure energy state - existing in the form of energy is the fastest evolution. Only create a temporary body (Avatar or robot) when you have no choice or need.

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The saga of carbon and silicon is far from over.