Discuss the importance of Carbon in life forms. What is special about Carbon that it has become the essential part of organic molecules? Could Silica based life forms exist?

Discuss in your own words the importance of Carbon in life forms. What is special about Carbon that it has become the essential part of organic molecules? Could Silica based life forms exist? We use microchips increasingly to enhance deficiencies in humans, including direct implanting them into the brain-could we be gradually transforming away from a carbon dominant life form?