Are Viruses Alive? CER

Viruses are not alive. First, they are unable to reproduce on their own. While viruses do have DNA and RNA, and are able to create copies of themselves, they cannot do it without a host cell. In other words, they have provided the tools but need something else to use them to their advantage. Without a host cell, they are basically dead. Viruses also lack the cellular organs needed to be considered alive, such as ribosomes and mitochondria. Due to the fact that viruses are dependent on other organisms, they seem to act like chemicals rather than organisms: can be “alive” only when reacting with other “substances” (organisms). Viruses truly border the worlds of chemistry and physiology. 

Source:

Villarreal, L. P. (2008, August 8). Are viruses alive? Scientific American. Retrieved July 23, 2022, from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/are-viruses-alive-2004/?WT.mc_id=SA_syn_KhanAcad