"Researchers reported in San Diego, California, this week at the
semiannual meeting of the American Chemical Society that they have
evolved a bacterial enzyme that efficiently incorporates silicon into
simple hydrocarbons—a first for life. Down the road, organisms able to
incorporate silicon into their cells could lead to a novel biochemistry
for life, although for now creating actual silicon-based creatures (like
the Horta from Star Trek, pictured) remains a long way off."
Researchers take small step toward silicon-based life