I wonder...

Thanks to all the Sci-fi I've been reading, my mind's filled with images of super massive alien architecture and logic defying lifeforms. These ideas have transcended my conscious states and have been invading my dreams. One particular recurring dream has gotten me thinking. Its a dream in which I find myself sailing the upper atmosphere of a gas giant (I believe its Neptune because of all the blues I remember) on what I can only speculate is a Goliath fried egg jellyfish. I must point out that this surreal dream first came about in an equally surreal setting - I was on the 22nd floor of an apartment on Manhattan's upper east side, enjoying a panoramic view of the city.  It snowed that night and I remember falling asleep in my glass cell, bathed in a warm orange glow of the city,  feeling like I was trapped in an inverted snow globe. 

Phacellophora camtschatica - The fried egg

I wonder what type of life might evolve on a planet dominated by clouds, A planet devoid of terra-firma. With the available information its safe to assume that here on Earth there are no true directly observable "Air Dwellers". Birds don't qualify since the have to return to land at some point and microbes don't really count in my opinion- for it to be of interest it must be multi-cellular with unique survival adaptations. The reason for this deficit on our planet I believe is due to the dynamic nature of our atmosphere. There just inst enough time for anything to evolve or survive up there!   

A gas giant on the other hand presents some unique possibilities. Neptune for instance might have layers in its lower atmosphere that are dense and relatively slow moving much like our oceans. We on Earth have this dramatic density shift from air to liquid water, but on a gas giant, I imagine this change to be gradual. I feel the key to true "cloud-life" lies in this steady density gradation of its fluid Layers. A lifeform spawning in the lower depths could gradually evolve to survive in the more turbulent upper layers.Given enough time we could possibly observe large jellyfish like creatures cruising the clouds. 

The definition for "life as we know it" has been evolving over the years exactly like what it hopes to describe. Planetary Scientists now believe the only prerequisite for life is liquid water (sunlight is no longer necessary) and I think this can be extended further and say all that is necessary for life to emerge is the presence of a liquid medium.  Just imagine the possibilities....there could exist silicon based lifeforms composed of 70% liquid ammonia or methane. Earth's atmosphere would be deathly toxic to such beings and inconceivably hot, just like we would find a planet hosting lakes of liquid lead unpleasant. 

Sometime ago I made a rough sketch on my Moleskine of an alien floating city inspired by my fried egg jelly. 

So anyway, if I ever end up on Neptune in my lifetime and encounter a sentient mass of drifting fluid, this is what I am going to say;  " I had a dream.. " (Its late and this is the best I can come up with)