Maybe one of you Alien buffs can explain this ...
 

I watched Alien last night. It wasn't the first time, but it was the first time I got to wondering how the hell did it grow so big so fast without eating anything?? Its physically impossible.

What do they even feed on?

Well, it's an alien. :) No reason why it should have to adhere to the same set of rules we do. It's also possible that it ate off-screen. Whether or not an alien eats has no importance to the story, so there's no need to show it.

It could of gotten into the ships food synthesizers (which contain pure protein/nutritional food elements) OR possibly, like a chicken, after they hatch they use an internal source of protein. A baby chick can live quite happily several days after hatching without eating, using its internal food from the egg.

I also wonder why they didn't use mylar for protection against the acids. According to dupont, mylar is strong enough against the strongest acids for quite a long time May be not in Alien where the crew didn't know what they're up against, but in Aliens where the marines is going to destroy them. What, they can afford fancy body armor and weapon but no mylar suit?

OK, I'm nitpicking, but I have a point, don't I? :D

Well, it's an alien species with its own form of acidic blood...one can just assume that mylar or anything else we have is ineffective.

Though, with regards to Aliens, remember that the Marines didn't really take Weaver's warnings seriously.

Theres lots of kinds of acids. I doubt mylar is resistant to all kinds, especially the alien type. I mean heck, the blood just ate thru, what, 3 floors of steel plating??

Hmm. You got your point there. But at least a mylar suit should slow the corrosion down if they used one, even if it's only by a few notch.

If Dupont says its acid proof, maybe they mean you can use cleanser without rubbing off the mylar sticker? But yea, you think space marines would have some kind of plan for chemical attacks.

You'd think they might also have some baking soda and water on hand to neutralize the acid. I guess in the future they dont' have to keep their fridge as fresh.

So if someone throws acid at me, i can use either ballons or my comic book collection to shield me? :p

It ate the crews. Also, it's possible that some of the ship's cargo are animals in hybernation.

Maybe it doesn't need to eat. It didn't eat the cat. :shrug:

They're saying it resist most kind of acid - including those that corrode metals and other plastics.

Anyway, I do think that space marines should be better prepared for attacking those aliens. There should be someone invented stuff that is more resistant to acid than mylar in that era.

Of course. You can also use umbrella or a raincoat just to be sure. :p ;)