We Have No Idea: A Guide to the Unknown Universe

by Jorge Cham

Can life as we know it form without these elements? Some have speculated that silicon could serve in place of carbon. That is a fun example of trying to think broadly, but since silicon is much heavier and more complicated (fourteen protons) than carbon (six protons), it’s probably not abundant enough to open up many new paths for life.

There is an episode of Star Trek TOS with this idea