FRANK R PAUL'S MERCURIANS / INSECT MEN OF MERCURY

In 1940, science-fiction art pionneer Frank R. Paul did pieces showing what life could be on other planets. In his own words:

Mercury, being dangerously near the sun, is a planet of terrific heat. Life, says science, logically can only exist in insect form.

His pictures depicts sentient wide earred creatures covered with red protective chitin armor, moving on four limbs but being able to use all of them for prehensile tasks and living in honeycombed underground Quartz Ccities to protect themselves from the heat of the sun.

Despicte the hot and harsh climate, Mercury seems to possess a body of water, although chemically-polluted, on which boats using sheets of Mica as sails can travel.

This picture comes from http://www.davidszondy.com/. Please visit his awesome site!