The Characteristics of Living Organisms

       Had there a time when you asked yourself what made you different from other creatures of God? Had there a time when you thought how people, particularly, scientists how they were able to classify millions of things as living or non-living?

      What makes living things differ from non-living things?

       For an object to be considered a living thing, it should exhibit the following characteristics- reproduction, growth and development, evolution, adaptation, homeostasis, metabolism, and irritability. Take for example, these two pictures below:

 Which of them is a living thing? Why?

Characteristics:

Reproduction
Reproduction is the ability to produce its own kind, whether sexually or asexually. Some plants can reproduce on their own while others need the help of other so fertilization will take place. Although they have the same body parts, only the first one can reproduce its own kind sexually. Even though the second one, the doll, can be reproduced. It can only be reproduced with the aid of a factory worker.

Growth and Development
 There should be changes or increase in height, weight, shape, body, and response to the environment. On the two pictures, only the girl can develop, but the doll cannot.

Adaptation
It can adapt to its surroundings for survival.

Irritability
Irritability is the response of an organism to stimuli. If you place these two examples in a very hot environment, which of them would react to the environment? Which of them will sweat? Right, only the girl can sweat because she responds to the environment's condition.

Homeostasis
Homeostasis is the ability to maintain the internal environment of an organism. The normal body temperature for humans is 37 degrees Celsius.

Evolution
Evolution comes from the root word, evolve, is the change in traits or characteristics over a period of time.

          You might have asked, "What is the significance of the characteristics of living things to us?" We need to know its different characteristics to be able to differentiate it to a non-living. Scientist should have this knowledge to have a deeper study in microscopic organisms, their anatomy and how they live.

Christlyn Faith H. Arias
II-Edison