Hi everyone,
I’m not very knowledgeable about science, so I’m struggling to understand the notion that viruses aren’t “alive”, and the robot analogies people use. I understand that they don’t have some of the characteristics (cells, ability to reproduce), but my mind can’t wrap itself around the notion that they’re like objects. Can you please give some examples that could explain this in a way that is accessible to someone who isn’t very advanced in the subject?
Thanks
EDIT: wow thanks so much guys for so many amazing replies!!!
In: 29
A virus particle on its own doesn’t have a metabolism. It doesn’t take in food, break it down for energy, and excrete waste. It just drifts until it bumps into a cell, then mechanically grabs onto that cell and injects its genetic material, which reprograms the cell to use up its own energy to make more virus particles.
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