Interesting that the other respondents don't seem to get the point.

Not so long ago, a slime mold in Paris seemed to evince properties of intent and memories. There are indications that trees care for each other(!), and that crows mourn for their dead.

There are anaerobic life forms even here on Earth, so we know that oxygen is not a prerequisite for life. Water is a requirement for life *as we know it*, but that's only because that's all we've seen thus far.

When we meet aliens, they may be anaerobic slime molds or intelligent plants. Personally, I think whatever aliens we meet will be much smaller than ourselves, for smaller bodies require less energy for sustenance.

Good article - and don't worry about the naysayers. They're not seeing the big picture.

https://medium.com/swlh/the-blob-octopi-crows-trees-and-the-end-of-human-hubris-24c67723ffe3