EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -Viruses are considered to be the link between living and non-living things. They exhibit few properties of living organisms like reproduction, but they do not show other properties like respiration, growth, excretion, etc. Hence, viruses do not require respiration for their existence.

Detailed explanation-2: -Viruses do not infect bacteria, fungi, and algae.

Detailed explanation-3: -Viruses are not living things. Viruses are complicated assemblies of molecules, including proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and carbohydrates, but on their own they can do nothing until they enter a living cell. Without cells, viruses would not be able to multiply. Therefore, viruses are not living things.

Detailed explanation-4: -A virus’s ability to sense its environment, including elements produced by its host, adds “another layer of complexity to the viral-host interaction, ” says Ivan Erill, professor of biological sciences and senior author on the new paper. Right now, viruses are exploiting that ability to their benefit.

Detailed explanation-5: -Living things use energy. Outside of a host cell, viruses do not use any energy. They only become active when they come into contact with a host cell. Once activated, they use the host cell’s energy and tools to make more viruses.