Question

Why viruses are in the border line of living and non living organisms

Answer 1

Living character of viruses:

1. The ability to reproduce is a living characteristic that is observed in viruses. Viruses use the cellular components of the host cell which it infects to reproduce.​
2. A genetic material is present inside the viruses like other living organisms.

The non-living character of viruses:

1. Viruses are acellular, which means the structure is made up of genetic material enclosed inside a protein coat.
   
2. There are no cells in viruses. ​Viruses remain inert when they remain outside a host cell.

These characters prove that viruses are present in the borderline between living and nonliving organisms as they have characters for both.