An animal that doesn't breathe oxygen

Re:An animal that doesn't breathe oxygen by CamperBob2 on Tuesday March 24, 2020 @07:34PM (#22680214)

I think that entire list can (and should) be replaced by one simple criterion: "Is it subject to evolution by natural selection across successive generations? If so, then it's alive."

Fire, no. Prions, no. Viruses, yes.

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Re:An animal that doesn't breathe oxygen by swiley on Tuesday March 24, 2020 @08:54PM (#22680839)

Prions aren't? I'm not a biologist, I just read wikipedia. I don't understand why a prion couldn't be subject to natural selection.

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Re:An animal that doesn't breathe oxygen by CamperBob2 on Tuesday March 24, 2020 @09:57PM (#22681286)

I can't say, either. I thought they were just inanimate clumps of protein.

Maybe it'd be better to give prions the "maybe" status that we accord to viruses now.

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