Astrobiology
Astrobiology is defined as the study of life, its origins, and the future of life. This field of study is predicated on the notion that life may exist beyond Earth. More importantly, astrobiology is one of my special interests! I've been obsessed with space and what intelligent life might be out there. I've written many stories as a child about mermaids on Europa, aliens coming to Earth and learning about Redwood Trees, and strange creatures which are the byproduct of some mysterious meteroid sludge.
The history of astrobiology, also referred to as speculative biology, xenology, or speculative evolution, is varied. Books on the subject have been published as far back as 1979 (see: Xenology: An Introduction to the Scientific Study of Extraterrestrial Life, Intelligence, and Civilization) and typically deal with the ways by which aliens might differ from humans, especially in regards to biochemistry.
Usually done in conjunction with Worldbuilding, astrobiology can range from making aliens who are extremely realistic whos physical charactertistics are dervied from their environment and, more likely than not, are not humanoid in any capacity. Or it can be done with a type of mystical biology where the aesthetics of the alien are more important than the form. The aliens are usually the main component of any story being told but are sometimes more background information for a narrative that happens to be centered around an alien but not necessarily focused on their biology.
Cool Resources for World Building
Builders- Caelian Assistants — Build your own Solar System! Has a bit of a learning curve. Download.
- Azgaar’s Fantasy Map Generator — Fantasy map generator. Has a bit of a learning curve. Browser.
- Tectonic Explorer — Tectonic plate simulator. Limited selection. Browser.
- Mapgen4 — Map builder. Limited selection. Browser.
- Ecoregions — Information on Earth's ecoregions. Broswer.
Favorite Speculative Biology Projects