All living organisms on earth are made of cells. Tiny microscopic factories which create the diverse range of life you see today.
But what exactly constitutes life? What makes something's living and something non-living?
Every living organism has the following characteristics:
Movement
Living organisms can move and change their position.
Reproduction
Living organisms can make more of the same kind of organism as themselves.
Sensitivity
Living organisms can detect or sense stimuli and respond to them.
Growth
Living organisms can increase their size or dry mass by increasing the number or size of their cells.
Respiration
Living organisms can create chemical reactions that break down nutrient molecules in living cells to release energy.
Excretion
Living organisms can excrete toxic materials, waste products of metabolism, and excess substances
Nutrition
Living organisms can take in and absorb nutrients such as organic substances and mineral ions. These nutrients contain the raw materials or energy needed for growth and tissue repair
Now that we know what the basic requirements to be classified as living are, what is a cell?
