Answer:
Viruses are a type of infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of an organism. They are classified as non-living because they do not have many of the characteristics that are typically associated with living organisms, such as the ability to independently carry out metabolic processes such as metabolism and respiration. Unlike cells, viruses do not have a cell membrane or any cellular organelles, and they do not have a true nucleus or any genetic material of their own. Instead, they rely on the cellular machinery of their host to replicate and produce new viruses.However, viruses do exhibit some characteristics that are similar to those of living organisms. They can evolve and adapt to their environment through the process of natural selection, and they can reproduce and pass their genetic material on to their offspring. For these reasons, some scientists consider viruses to be a type of quasi-living entity that exists on the border between the living and non-living worlds.
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