Organise a discussion in your class on the topic – Are viruses living or nonliving?
Viruses are defined as microscopic organisms, possessing the characteristics of both living and non-living species. They also comprise of nuclear material, for instance single stranded DNA or RNA, constituted within the protein coat. Therefore, the prominence of nucleic acids and protein, definitely suggests that viruses are living organisms. Moreover, they are also capable of responding to their external environment within their prevailing host cells. However, certain morphological characteristics, like the inability to reproduce without the systematic support of the host cells and the typical a-cellular nature of the organisms, suggests that they maybe non-living species.Therefore, there are several anomalies prevailing in the modern systematics regarding the living and non-living statures of viruses. However, since they are unable multiply or exist independently without their host cells, they are widely categorized as non-living entities.
