Are viruses alive? | Microbiology Society - 0 views
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Lottie Peppers on 20 Jul 17What does it mean to be 'alive'? At a basic level, viruses are proteins and genetic material that survive and replicate within their environment, inside another life form. In the absence of their host, viruses are unable to replicate and many are unable to survive for long in the extracellular environment. Therefore, if they cannot survive independently, can they be defined as being 'alive'?