The Similarity Conundrum

The Similarity Conundrum is a scientific treatise published on UDSA standard date 15036 (October 2120 of the human calendar) by the Yytsuuri scientist Nyberg Yyah, who would later go on to found the Nyberg Institute. It discusses the observation that it is extremely unlikely that the similarity between basic biochemical makeup, body plans and size found among the known sentient species is coincidental. Unlike previous discussions of the topic, Nyberg used advanced molecular synthesis techniques to show the viability of several alternate basic biochemical systems, providing evidence that the biochemical makeup component is not an inevitability and therefore showing that it is unlikely the similarity between sentient species is purely naturally occurring.
The term similarity conundrum has since become used to discuss the concept as a whole, not just the treatise. Especially with the discovery of the Anomaly and the Ark, discussions of the topic are at an all-time high.

The biomolecular base structures discussed in this article are all based on known environmental baseline conditions past and present. They have been shown to realistically arise naturally under said conditions, in simulation, laboratory and practice. The presented work additionally shows that complex life comparable to the complex carbon/water-based life commonly seen is viable in multiple of these base structures, and seems no less likely to arise from the base structure given time.

Despite all this, not even unicellular life based on a different biochemical base structure has been discovered, in spite of the abundance of life in this galaxy. The conundrum of the similarity of life forms in contrast to these continued findings suggests a yet-unknown factor at play either furthering the evolution of carbon/water-based life or hindering that of other life. Given the strength of the effect, the author believes that an unnatural cause cannot be ruled out at this time.

Nyberg Yyah, The Similarity Conundrum

Type

Study, Scientific

Medium

Digital Recording, Text