What are the 5 characteristics of life?

Myriad209

I know this is easy, forgot my biology book though.

Tau

Check this out:

http://mimi.essortment.com/characteristics_rbrc.htm

Myriad209

o_O The teacher said 5, oh well.

Brad Barker

lol, in my class last year, we only had four characteristics of life:

use energy
complex structure
genetic code
ability to reproduce

Renge Ishyo

There are five to be sure:

1. energy
2. structure
3. genetic code
4. ability to reproduce
5. stupidity

Pengwuino

Thats exclusive to adolescent humans

Brad Barker

i thought that was funny.

Danger

And Republicans.

Pengwuino

At least we're above the single celled organisms called liberals

Danger

I wondered how long that would take to get your attention. (What?! No Russ?!)
The only disagreement that I have with the posted answers is in relation to having a genetic code. That is a characteristic of all known Earth life. Although something is required to carry on the traits of the species, it does not necessarily have to involve genes.

Renge Ishyo

Can you give an example where a living thing was able to pass on its traits without having a genetic code involved in the process? I am not being picky, just curious.

Danger

No I can't, because all known life is Earth-based. Where I should have clarified my meaning involves what the definition of a 'gene' is. Since my definition of 'life' is not restricted to carbon-based, I cannot consider that the medium of characteristics-transferral is restricted to the chemicals involved in Earthly DNA. If a machine intelligence ever evolves, for instance, the traits would be passed on through programming code and construction designs.

FluxCapacitator

It's good to note that since the definition of life is so widely argued, it's best to just go with what your textbook says. I remember getting into a huge arguement with my freshman biology teacher about it that lead to her disliking me for the rest of the year. It's just a lot easier to give the book's definition because most high school teachers get offended when you argue a good point.

Renge Ishyo

Could be so, but it's probably just included because at this point having genes is a common link between all living things. The moment we have proof of a living thing not using genes as a way to transfer information, the scientific community will be forced to modify it's definition (or dub the old defintion "classical" and continue to teach it while treating the "new" form of life as a separate entity, power to laziness .

Danger

I have to agree with Fluxcap if you were asking in relation to a school course. Unless you have a progressive teacher, stick to the book in public. In private, investigate all that you can with an open mind. Although extraterrestrial life is not likely to be encountered within our lifetimes, I'm willing to bet that it won't be based upon DNA when it turns up. That would just be too much of a coincidence.

FluxCapacitator

Thanks for validating my suspicion that there are people that are capable of rational thought, but just keep quiet about it to avoid trouble. :D

Danger

I have more experience with stupid teachers than I would wish upon my worst enemy. That's one of the primary reasons that I never finished high-school. One of the best things that I see about PF is that someone with a different, yet practical, way of looking at things can interact with others about it to maintain his sanity, while still pretending to be subservient to the school boards or CEO's.