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To be clear, I'm not talking about AB, O, A, or B type blood. I'm not talking about different colored blood, either; I saw a bunch of those types of questions earlier.

I'm talking about anoxygenic bonding blood, or however you might say it. As biology goes, humans have oxygen-bonding blood, and I'm wondering how it could be applied to alternative biochemistries,(for bonding to gases other than oxygen), such as a methane/ethane one that breathes hydrogen, or a boron/ammonia one,(no clue what it breathes), and etc. See the next link, please, for more examples. Creating a planetary system that can support six different types of biochemistry

This question addresses some of the biochemistries that I would like to do, and where I want to do them. Sorry if this seems rude; I just get so frustrated that nobody else has asked something similar. Here's the ammonia/boron life link: What would an ammonia-based world look like?

Edit: Sorry about all the confusion. Tags have been changed to appropriate groups. Trying to clarify my question. Sorry it's all jumbled up; I'm still learning the ins and outs.

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  • $\begingroup$ Related question with some good answers: Other blood colors $\endgroup$
    – DaaaahWhoosh
    Commented Oct 13, 2016 at 14:00
  • $\begingroup$ I'm not talking about blood colors; I'm talking about blood that doesn't bond to oxygen. $\endgroup$
    – CyberDragoon
    Commented Oct 13, 2016 at 14:06
  • $\begingroup$ Would such a lifeform really need blood? Maybe some direct energy (heat, electricity) distribution system would appear more relevant? $\endgroup$
    – Stanislav Kogan
    Commented Oct 13, 2016 at 14:07
  • $\begingroup$ science-based for creatures unknown in science seems a stretch. Also, you are asking abut two different biochemistries and unspecified number of "stuff like that", making it really, really broad. $\endgroup$
    – Mołot
    Commented Oct 13, 2016 at 14:10
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    $\begingroup$ @CyberDragoon Whatever you do, don't remove reality-check as it would invalidate already posted answer - and that's considered really rude. $\endgroup$
    – Mołot
    Commented Oct 13, 2016 at 14:53

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No Answer Is Available (Reality-Check Tag Response)

The truth is that we have not found that non-carbon life is possible, let alone identified what type of blood it may have.

The closest case that I am aware of was the "Arsenic-based" bacteria... which still requires carbon. It can use arsenic instead of phosphorus (though it still prefers phosphorus), but carbon is still essential.

Silicon is often suggested as an alternative to carbon to support life, but that seems exceedingly doubtful.

Other elements that would replace carbon have it even worse than silicon - the chemistry just doesn't support it. For reactions with similarly "possible" elements you end up needing either very low temperatures to ensure reaction stability or you need to work with a ridiculously limited set of possible combinations. Unfortunately, working with very low temperatures precludes liquids from existing in cells (generally), which is believed to be a requirement. Fewer available combinations means that the complex structures necessary could not be created.

This is where one would often say "So pick whatever you want, because when it's impossible it's all equally valid", but that's not really the case. Plenty of chemical combinations result in fire or reduce quickly... hopefully another answer can ignore the "reality-check" tag and provide an answer which, at least, won't immediately corrode the veins of your creatures or ignite them.

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