MENU

Biosphere
- Topics
- Scientific Method
- Alive
- Origins
- Water
- Biomes
- Food Webs
- Biodiversity
- Population Growth

Cells

Early Life

Invertebrates

Vertebrates

Humans

Plants

What Does It Mean to Be Alive?

Introduction to this section:

Reading:
BBC News: Curiosity rover sees seasonal Mars methane swing
Is dust the source of life on Earth?
Are viruses alive? New evidence says yes.

Video 1: Characteristics of Life (2:08)

Video 2: The Definition of Life - Star Trek TNG (4:50)

Study Guide (Transcripts/Summaries):
The 7 Characteristics of all Living things: 1) They grow and develop. 2) They are able to reproduce, the process by which living things give rise to offspring. 3) They detect changes in their environment and they respond to them. 4) They use energy. 5) They maintain a constant internal environment through homeostasis. 6) They have cellular organization. 7) They are able to adapt, evolve, and pass on their genetic information in the form of DNA. All forms of life are built of cells. A cell is the basic unit of the structure and function of living things.

Sources:
Video 1: Characteristics of Life, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NnFhY_STFQ
Video 2: The Definition of Life - Star Trek TNG, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OfIsNPZm8w