The unusual nature of viruses (behaving as living organisms while within them, butbecoming inert while isolated)has caused scientists to consider the possibility that:
A)viruses may be considered a kind of life.
B)the ability to breathe may need to be added to the definition of life.
C)the ability to evolve or mutate should be added to the definition of life.
D)the ability to grow should be added to the definition of life.
E)the definition of life may be more complex than a simple checklist.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The unusual nature of viruses has led scientists to reconsider how we define life, and suggests that the definition may be more complex than a simple checklist of characteristics. The unusual nature of viruses has caused scientists to consider that the definition of life is more complex than a simple checklist. This means that the ability to breathe, evolve, mutate, or grow may not necessarily need to be added to the definition of life, but that the definition itself may need to be more nuanced and capable of encompassing the unique characteristics of viruses.

The Unusual Nature of Viruses (Behaving as Living Organisms While