Science Memes

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viruses (mander.xyz)

submitted 5 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 159 points 5 months ago (32 children)

Okay, this got me curious. From the wikipedia article on viruses:

Viruses are considered by some biologists to be a life form, because they carry genetic material, reproduce, and evolve through natural selection, although they lack the key characteristics, such as cell structure, that are generally considered necessary criteria for defining life. Because they possess some but not all such qualities, viruses have been described as "organisms at the edge of life" and as replicators.

[–] [email protected] 52 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (9 children)

They're not compromised of cells, can't self regulate, and can't replicate on their own and other organisms have to do that for them. The last point being important to our criteria for living. I was never taught as a biologist by anyone that they were alive

[–] [email protected] 9 points 5 months ago (5 children)

There are plenty of organisms we generally consider “alive” that can’t replicate or do other key functions without other organisms.

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