Characteristics that will make/qualify a thing a living organism
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It has to be able to reproduce itself, respond to the environment, obtain and use energy, and consist of 1 or more biological cells (microscopic, water-filled structures enclosed by a double layer of lipids, or fatty molecules).
This definition could be revised if/when new lifelike things are found. The definition of a “cell” is also somewhat ambiguous and it’s not immediately clear why an enveloped virus doesn’t count as a cell. Some might say that an enveloped virus doesn’t have the ability to make proteins, but neither do red blood cells, and they are considered cells.
The ability to grow, maintain homeostasis, respond to stimuli, adapt to changing environments, reproduce, and evolve over time.
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