Question

why are viruses considered to be on the border line between living and non living things?

Answer 1

Virus is considered a borderline between living and non living because it has features similar to both. Outside a living body a virus can be crystallized and appears to be non living as it cannot carry any meatbolic activities. But once it enters a suitable host it activates its genetic material and is able to carry out all the activities using the cellular machinery of the host cell.