Using one's imagination, what do you think Aliens look like?
Aliens images have big slanting eyes, round heads, long hands and fingers and lots more described in pictures and films we see.
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In short, without knowing the environment in which such hypothetical aliens developed, it is impossible to predict what they'd look like, except to say that the likelihood of convergent evolution making them humanoid-shaped (i.e. head-shaped head, recognizable ears, recognizable arms/legs/hands/feet, etc.) is ridiculously low. Note that this would not necessarily be so ridiculous if they and we have some common ancestry via some ancient civilization seeding Earth and other planets using the same or similar genetic stock, space spores that might have done such seeding, or any other means for engendering the same biological background as ours.
A great deal of reading of sci fi and speculative science books, as well as exhibits at the Smithsonian museum decades ago.
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That's scary, but possible. Imagine we might be talking and interacting with someone, we have no idea they're aliens. thanks @commentator.
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That's great, @opher. Mmmm, can you disclose the title yet or an excerpt perhaps, wait on second thought I'll just wait, more exciting. Waiting for your announcement. Good Luck.
Philipy, you're making implicit assumptions to support a humanoid shape. For example, what if there is no light for vision in the environment? If these aliens "listen" to radio frequency, they might need a larger separation than available in a "head" to provide proper stereo input. Maybe they'd have one "ear" (or antenna) on their hind-quarters with the other on their front end?
If their environment requires streamlining (high winds and/or liquid environment) they might have a more dolphin-like shape, possibly with retractable appendages. Maybe they'd need to be ameboid and have tentacles with fine manipulatory endings that can be extended or retracted at will. If the gravity is high, maybe they'll need to crawl on the ground to reduce the required stability. Maybe they'll have 6 "legs" or even 8 like a spider.
In short, I stand by my statement that a humanoid shape is only one of many that could support intelligence, and as such, is not likely to be the norm on all planetary environments where intelligence arises, unless you accept an assumption of pan-spermia or some such.
Thanks, @opher , @philipy. Great imaginations.
Funny you should say that @lotusla, I'm in the process of writing one...
I agree with @opher that they could look like pretty much anything. Just think of all the creatures we have on the Earth from squid to ants to us.
> the likelihood of convergent evolution making them humanoid-shaped... is ridiculously low
Here I am inclined to say we have no idea what the likelihood is. It could be incredibly low or surprisingly high. Factors that would argue for a higher rather than lower value...
- Four legs is pretty much the preferred set up for large land animals
- Any intelligent tool using creature needs hands or something functionally similar
- Likely evolutionary path for hands is a four-legged creature that went bipedal
- Two eyes needed for stereo vision and depth-assessment
- Concentration of sensors (eyes, nose, ears) and brain at the top (the "head") of a bipedal creature is logical
So now it's sounding like intelligent tool using creatures have a decent chance of being at least roughly human shaped.
But that is all speculation and we have no real way to guess the likelihood.