So a topic in some newer hard sci-fis is that we don't find aliens, instead we make them through radical transhumanism. Genetic engineering and such. Great excuse for why aliens look humanoid, too. I think this is done really well in Zando's Hibourverse for instance, which has humans and transhumanist species colonizing Sol.

My problem though is I never could wrap my mind around wanting to become or make an entirely different type of human species. If you live on Mars, it seems easier to build habitats and suits rather than full-blown bioforming. Does anyone really want horns or elf-ears so badly that they alter their DNA to look like something out of World Of Warcraft? And if that were the case then you'd think it'd be easier to scratch that fantasy-itch with virtual reality, not real biological change. Or, maybe something more temporary and technological makes more sense, like the remote-bodies from Avatar (the first film)?

So, what's your take on this? Under what circumstances would we create or migrate into new types of humanoid species? Not the feasibility of how, but why would anyone do this?

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