Unifying Contradiction

Its seems that a recent study has shown that the vast majority of terrestrial minerals are the result of biological processes. This has a huge consequence for the kinds of minerals that would be common on other life-bearing planets, that used different biochemical processes. It also means that planets that have never harboured life would be expected to have a very different mineralogical make up than ours.

So, a while ago_sps_ and I came up with some notes for
designing Aliens that didn't borrow heavily from convergent evolution
(no bird-men, fish-men, lizard-men, bumpyhead-men). The notes are
really just a first draft of a checklist but I'm thinking of turning
them into the outline for a book and perhaps trying to interest Hero
Games in publishing said book. It won't make me much money, but it
might be fun to do.

Anyway, I thought I would post the current notes here in case anyone
had any comments on them...
( Here They Be )