• Question: Are there living organisms without cells?

    Asked by x_Ellie_x to Rob on 13 Jun 2016.
    • Photo: Rob Stanley

      Rob Stanley answered on 13 Jun 2016:

      Possibly – it depends how you define ‘living’!

      Some people think that viruses are alive. Viruses aren’t cells, but are made up of DNA inside a small capsule. To make more of themselves they have to infect other cells and force those cells to copy them. But if you define ‘living’ as being able to make more of yourself independently, then viruses aren’t alive either.

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