Very few episodes of ST approached this topic. Most "aliens" had pointy ears and bumps on their head,and that was it... And yes,I'd think life would be as weird and varied on other worlds, as it is here.

It starts with looking for habitable planets and signs of life. First thing we search for are "earthlike" planets in the Goldilock-zone, already assuming life needs the exact same things as we do. The same goes for alien technology. "A radiosignal" for instance. Or, when we sent out Voyager outfitted with all kinds of human stuff: a drawing of our body, sounds, ones and zeroes, all kinds of messages, again assuming things will be understood or seen as we do.

Humanity has a long way to go to become advanced on a level that you can speak of true advances. Not just technology, but also physically en spiritually. I'd say that will likely not happen in the near future, if ever.

According to the Panspermia Theory, WE could be E.T.