Questions and Answers
What are the defining characteristics of life?
Homeostasis, organisation, metabolism, growth, adaptation, response to stimuli, and reproduction
Why do viruses make the definition of life difficult?
Viruses replicate only in host cells
In what environments can life be found on Earth?
Air, water, and soil
Who is credited with the modern system of binomial nomenclature for classification of living things?
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When did life originate?
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Study Notes
Defining Characteristics of Life
- Organisms that exhibit characteristics of life include organization, metabolism, homeostasis, growth and development, reproduction, response to stimuli, and evolution
- These characteristics distinguish living things from non-living matter
Challenges to Defining Life: Viruses
- Viruses possess some characteristics of life, but not all, making them difficult to classify as living or non-living
- Viruses can replicate, evolve, and respond to stimuli, but rely on host cells for reproduction and metabolic processes
Diversity of Environments Supporting Life
- Life can thrive in a wide range of environments on Earth, including extreme conditions such as hot springs, deep-sea vents, and Antarctic ice sheets
- From deserts to rainforests, life can be found in almost every environment on the planet
Classification of Living Things
- Carolus Linnaeus is credited with developing the modern system of binomial nomenclature for classification of living organisms
- This system uses a two-part name consisting of a genus and species to identify each species
Origins of Life
- The exact timing of life's origin on Earth is unknown, but evidence suggests it emerged at least 3.5 billion years ago
- The oldest evidence of life on Earth dates back to around 3.45 billion years ago
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