Here's why:
* Water (H2O): Water is essential for life and is not carbon-based.
* Other elements: While carbon is the most common element in organic molecules, life also relies on other elements like hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur. These elements are part of crucial biomolecules like proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids.
* Possible extraterrestrial life: We don't know for sure what life forms might exist elsewhere in the universe. Some scientists speculate that life could be based on different elements or even different structures than the carbon-based life we know.
Therefore, while carbon forms the foundation of most life on Earth, it's not the only element involved, and other possibilities for life exist.