Nida Ali's Should A Virus Be Classified As A Living Thing?

Viruses should not be classified as a living thing. Viruses should be able to use their energy, grow/develop, reproduce, respond to their environment, have waste products and adapt to their environment. Unfortunately, not all viruses meet all of these characteristics. Based off of the data found in Information about Viruses and other objects found on Earth, several viruses such as the Influenza Virus and Adenovirus have no energy source, do not have any waste production, does not have a carbon source, does not respond to external stimuli and do not grow. In order for a virus to be considered “alive” it must reproduce, obtain/use energy, grow/develop and respond to the environment. Since viruses are not cells there is no need for food since no activity occurs. Viruses do not use their own energy nor do they produce energy. Also, viruses do not grow and conduct no activity inside of its protein coat. Since the Influenza Virus and the Adenovirus are not able to respond to stimuli, under certain conditions like being presented to sunlight, they would not be able to grow in comparison to Amoeba, which is a single celled animal, is able to grow since it is able to respond to external stimuli. The Influenza Virus and the Adenovirus do not have an energy source, which thus results in no growth. However, the Coriander seeds has an energy source and carbon source which thus results in growth. Due to these lacking characteristics, viruses reply on host cells to carry out all of their functions.

The Influenza Virus and Adenovirus both require a host cell in order for reproduction to occur. The Plasmodium Falciparum parasite has a form of reproduction of sexual and asexual but reproduction can only occur inside of a host cell. Viruses cannot use their genetic material by themselves, in order to be effective, the virus needs to be present in a living cell. These viruses are not considered living since they are unable to reproduce. Viruses are unable to divide by binary fission. Viruses can not divide or reproduce by themselves without a host cell, as seen in the Influenza Virus, Adenovirus and the Plasmodium Falciparum parasite. However, while comparing viruses to other organisms such as dogs, coriander seeds, Amoeba, Sponges, E.Coli Elodea and Tube worms, these organisms are considered alive since they are able to reproduce either by sexually, asexually or even both. Since viruses are unable to reproduce without a host cell, they are not considered alive.  Viruses need a living cell in order to function and reproduce. Viruses are not living when they remain outside of the cell. The virus contains genetic material and when it is outside of a living cell, it does not carry out its functions. Once the virus is inside the cytoplasm of a living cell, the virus can activate. The virus' DNA takes control of the cell once it's within the cytoplasm. To add, viruses do not move themselves even though they do react to some changes in their environment.

Moreover, since viruses lack characteristics such as being unable to grow/develop , lack energy, unable to reproduce, inability to produce waste products, and are unable to respond to external stimuli, then viruses should not be considered a living thing. Viruses rely on host cells to be productive and efficient. Viruses are unable to perform/ function without being present in a living cell, as seen with the Influenza Virus and Adenovirus.