why do living things have to die?

Question

why do living things have to die?

In: Biology

Answer 1

Lots of good explanations, but none of them really ELI5.

You have a copy machine and you make a copy. Then, later on, someone makes a copy of the copy. Later, a copy of the copy of the copy… and so on.

Along the line, the copy gets damaged. Someone tapes it together, and then makes a copy of that. And a copy of that…

Eventually, after decades, you can no longer recognize what was on the original.

The same thing happens to cells in your body. They make copies of themselves as they divide. After 80 or so years, defects from copying make them not work as well.

Eventually, the body can’t work at all and… death.