If you want to know about strange life forms, you should learn about lichen!

^And tardigrades.

Excellent synthesis, Charles.

^And anything and everything from the Burgess Shale or the Ediacaran biota.

@3, Except for the "cooking" part. But I know what you "meant" to say, Charles: If they are not sentient and we are done learning all we can know from them, that they will probably be found to be chemically-similar to our non-alien plants or animals or bacteria and therefore "edible."

everybody with access to a science blog covered this last week

Hey Chuck, You are so real, dude. First, I read that obtuse, naive, oblivious analysis of the The Diary of a Teenage Girl in the context of the Subway guy's conviction. Then, I read this wonderful window into a world of wonders that will add sparkle to my whole day, or more.. And I knew you had written both of them within a couple of paragraphs without looking at the byline, like you were an old friend.

Glad you are still around.