So basically: a non-carbon-based life form would look so different to us at an atomic level that we have no idea how it would even begin to affect them at a macro level, so we just have no idea what they might even function? That’s really cool and really disappointing all at once.

I was genuine about not knowing and asking the question, but halfway through writing the post I realized how grouchy I sounded and went with it.

A dead ringer for me.

Yes, but that's also true of an unrelated carbon-based lifeform.