* Reproduce: Create offspring.
* Grow and develop: Increase in size and complexity.
* Respond to stimuli: React to changes in their environment.
* Maintain homeostasis: Regulate internal conditions.
* Adapt and evolve: Change over time to better suit their environment.
* Be made of cells: The fundamental building blocks of life.
While a non-living thing might *appear* to have some of these characteristics, it will lack the fundamental underlying mechanisms that make life what it is.
For example, a crystal might:
* Grow: It can increase in size by adding more molecules to its structure.
* Respond to stimuli: Its shape might change slightly depending on temperature or pressure.
However, a crystal doesn't reproduce, maintain homeostasis, or evolve in the way a living organism does. These actions are driven by complex biological processes, not simple physical changes.
It's important to remember that non-living things are not trying to mimic life. They simply follow the laws of physics and chemistry, which can sometimes create appearances that resemble aspects of life.
