Organise a discussion in your class on the topic- Are viruses living or non-living?

Viruses are microscopic organisms that have characteristics of both living and non-living. A virus consists of a strand of DNA or RNA covered by a protein coat. This presence of nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) and Protein suggests that viruses are alive. In addition, they can also respond to their environment in a limited manner inside the host cell.

However, some other characters, such as their inability to reproduce without using the host cell machinery and their acellular nature, indicate that viruses are non-living. Therefore, classifying viruses has remained a mystery for modern systematics.