Awwkaw
Awwkaw t1_jbp08d0 wrote
Reply to comment by sfurbo in I just learned that the known shortest DNA in an “organism” is about 1700 base pairs in a certain virus. Is there a minimum amount of “code” required for an organism (or virus) to function in any capacity? by mcbergstedt
In those conditions humans are dead, so they do not fulfill the definition of life.
A virus has no ability to reproduce, and as such it is not life.
Awwkaw t1_jbowzou wrote
Reply to comment by Nymaz in I just learned that the known shortest DNA in an “organism” is about 1700 base pairs in a certain virus. Is there a minimum amount of “code” required for an organism (or virus) to function in any capacity? by mcbergstedt
No, but a virus doesn't have the ability to reproduce. It has the ability to be reproduced. But so does many things, such as chairs, phones, books, and possibly other stuff. Much like a virus however, neither chairs, phones or books can reproduce.
Awwkaw t1_jbq6bqd wrote
Reply to comment by sfurbo in I just learned that the known shortest DNA in an “organism” is about 1700 base pairs in a certain virus. Is there a minimum amount of “code” required for an organism (or virus) to function in any capacity? by mcbergstedt
No, the virus cannot reproduce.
It simply does not have the parts to reproduce. Only instructions on how to produce it. A virus is even worse at reproducing than Ikea chairs:, the chairs bring both the parts and the manual, the virus only comes with the manual. The extremely specific conditions you mention do not allow the virus to reproduce, it allows the host cell to produce the virus.
You might not like the definition of the word, but it is what it is.