why aren’t viruses “alive”?

Question

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

Answer 1

There are many instances of thousands, or even millions of year old viruses that were resurrected. Not many living things can stay dormant for that long.

Also, while viruses do reproduce, they don’t do other functions of living things like eat and even when they reproduce, it’s asexual cloning using host cells.