6.01 Viruses: Living or Not Living?

Viruses are not considered living things. Recall that the cell theory states that all living things must contain at least one cell. Well, viruses do not contain any cells, so they are not classified into any living classification.

By the type of genetic material they contain

By the way they reproduce

Have you Heard?

There are some illnesses that were thought to have been caused by viruses that are actually caused by a strange and newly discovered process.

Visit the University of Utah’s Genetics Learning Center to find out more about this strange process.

Time to Research

Viruses are an every day part of our lives. Because they affect us, especially in the area of diseases, it is important to be informed about viruses. West Nile, Bird Flu, HIV, and even Ebola are all viruses that are frequently in the news. In this part of the activity you will research various types of viruses.

Directions:

1. Open and save the Viral Research Chart.
2. Research the viruses listed on the chart.
3. Fill in the information in the chart.

Access each of these web resources for your research. Type in the virus name, and you will find a lot of information about these interesting viruses.

• Center for Disease Control: Bird Flu (Also called Avian Flu)
• How Stuff Works: How Viruses Work
• The dictionary: Dictionary.com
  *Look up specific viruses or viruses in general
• Virus Index: National Institute of Health: Index of Viruses