eli5: If viruses aren’t living organisms like bacteria and parasites, how can it be airborne? Viruses can only survive in the body, so how can it be lingering around outside of the body?

Question

eli5: If viruses aren’t living organisms like bacteria and parasites, how can it be airborne? Viruses can only survive in the body, so how can it be lingering around outside of the body?

In: Biology

Answer 1

Like everyone else said, viruses aren’t necessarily alive, so they don’t necessarily die. Also, some viruses can “survive” in different conditions than others. For example, there are viruses emerging from melting polar ice caps.

Explaining like your five: some viruses are like Captain America and can live fine in ice in suspended animation. Not all viruses got the same serum. Some “die” rather quickly in other conditions