What Bugonia reveals about the real search for aliens

image via New Scientist

March 15, 2026, 10:00 AM

• •The film Bugonia raises the question of how we would recognize an alien.
• •Scientists are developing new ways to define 'life' that go beyond Earth's biology.
• •Alien life may not be based on organic molecules, cells, and DNA.
• •Evolutionary history could be radically different on other planets.

The article explores the question of how we would identify alien life, inspired by the film Bugonia. Scientists are working to define 'life' beyond Earth's parameters, considering the possibility of life forms radically different from what we know. The challenges include understanding that alien life might not share Earth's chemical or genetic building blocks, and evolutionary history would likely be vastly different. The article emphasizes that identifying extraterrestrial life would involve recognizing complex systems and their environmental impacts, rather than assuming it would resemble humans.

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