This is a great question! It's a bit tricky because the definition of "life" is complex and there's no single agreed-upon answer. However, we can say that most living organisms exhibit all the characteristics of life, but there are some exceptions and grey areas. Here's a breakdown:

Characteristics of Life:

1. Organization: Living things are highly organized, with cells as the basic unit.

2. Metabolism: They carry out chemical reactions to obtain and use energy.

3. Growth: They increase in size and complexity over time.

4. Reproduction: They create offspring, ensuring the continuation of their species.

5. Responsiveness: They react to stimuli in their environment.

6. Adaptation: They evolve over time to better suit their environment.

7. Homeostasis: They maintain a stable internal environment.

Exceptions and Grey Areas:

* Viruses: These are often considered "non-living" because they lack the machinery for independent metabolism and reproduction. They need a host cell to replicate.

* Prions: These are infectious proteins that lack even the basic structure of a cell. They are considered non-living.

* Extremophiles: Some organisms thrive in extreme environments (like high temperatures or high pressure) where they may not exhibit all the characteristics of life in the same way as organisms in "normal" environments.

Conclusion:

While most living organisms exhibit all the characteristics of life, the definition of "life" is not absolute. There are exceptions and grey areas, particularly when considering entities like viruses and prions.