News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on Algorithm discovers how six molecules could evolve into life’s building blocks. Parent comment

Re:Algorithm discovers how six molecules could evolve into l... by pfdietz on Sunday October 04, 2020 @02:28PM (#24681141)
Viruses depend on the existence of complex structures (the machinery in cells) to replicate themselves, so I don't think it's valid to point to one as an organism in the same sense as a prokaryote.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Algorithm discovers how six molecules could evolve into l... by pishpash on Monday October 05, 2020 @01:38AM (#24684833)
Prokaryotes depend on the existence of complex structures (the world outside) to replicate themselves. Yours is not a good example.

That aside, people have argued that the viral particle is like a gamete, which is also an incomplete stage of life unable to replicate itself. It would be like calling a sperm a human and saying humans are therefore parasitic and not living. A virus's primary life stage is lived within the environment of the cell which it commandeers, and from where it sends its progeny. The whole commandeered cell is the viral organism, and very much living.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Algorithm discovers how six molecules could evolve into l... by pfdietz on Monday October 05, 2020 @08:24AM (#24687065)
Invalid argument. Bacteria exist that can grow in very simple media with low structure. Viruses canmot. They absolutely depend on the existence of a very complex replication machinery.
[ Parent | on HN ]