Life
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- | [[Image:Ernst Haeckel's Artforms of Nature of 1904.jpg|thumb|right|200px|''[[Artforms of Nature]] ([[1904]]) by [[Ernst Haeckel]]]]{{Template}} | + | [[Image:Ernst Haeckel's Artforms of Nature of 1904.jpg|thumb|left|200px|''[[Kunstformen der Natur]]'' ([[1904]]) by [[Ernst Haeckel]]<br> |
- | '''Life''' is a condition that distinguishes [[organism]]s from [[inorganic]] objects, i.e. [[non-life]], and [[Death|dead]] organisms, being manifested by growth through [[metabolism]], [[reproduction]], and the power of [[adaptation]] to environment through changes originating internally.{{GFDL}} | + | The 49th plate from Ernst Haeckel's ''Kunstformen der Natur'' of 1904, showing various [[sea anemone]]s classified as Actiniae.]] |
+ | {| class="toccolours" style="float: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:30em; max-width: 40%;" cellspacing="5" | ||
+ | | style="text-align: left;" | | ||
+ | "[[Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards]]" --Kierkegaard | ||
+ | <hr> | ||
+ | "[[Eroticism]] ... is assenting to [[life]] up to the point of [[death]]." [[Eroticism ... is assenting to life up to the point of death|[...]]] --''[[Eroticism (Georges Bataille)|Eroticism]]'', Georges Bataille | ||
+ | <hr> | ||
+ | "We [[life|live]] in the [[best]] [[possible world]] [[Best of all possible worlds |[...]]]" --Gottfried Leibniz | ||
+ | <hr> | ||
+ | "According to [[Thomas Hobbes]], humans in the [[state of nature]] are inherently in a "[[war of all against all]]," and [[life]] in that state is ultimately "[[solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short]].""--Sholem Stein | ||
+ | <hr> | ||
+ | "[[Life is a sexually transmitted disease]]" | ||
+ | <hr> | ||
+ | "One must, in one's [[life]], make a [[choice]] between [[boredom]] and [[suffering]]"--[[Germaine de Staël]] | ||
+ | |} | ||
+ | [[Image:BristleConePine.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The [[Bristlecone Pine]] can reach an age far greater than that of any other single [[living organism]] known, up to nearly 5,000 years.]] | ||
+ | [[Image:The Heart Has Its Reasons by Odilon Redon.jpg |thumb|right|200px|''[[The heart has its reasons, of which reason knows nothing]]'' (c. 1887) by Odilon Redon, a dictum from the ''Pensées'' (1669) by Blaise Pascal]] | ||
+ | {{Template}} | ||
+ | |||
+ | '''Life''' (cf. [[Biota (ecology)|biota]]) is a characteristic that distinguishes [[physical body|objects]] that have [[biological process|signaling and self-sustaining processes]] from those that do not, either because such functions have ceased ([[death]]), or else because they lack such functions and are classified as [[inanimate|inanimate]]. [[Biology]] is the science concerned with the study of life. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Any contiguous living system is called an [[organism]]. Organisms undergo metabolism, maintain [[homeostasis]], possess a capacity to [[cell growth|grow]], respond to [[stimulus (physiology)|stimuli]], [[reproduce]] and, through [[natural selection]], adapt to their environment in successive generations. More complex living organisms can communicate through various means. A diverse array of living organisms can be found in the [[biosphere]] of [[Earth]], and the properties common to these organisms—[[plant]]s, [[animal]]s, [[fungus|fungi]], [[protist]]s, [[archaea]], and [[bacteria]]—are a [[carbon-based life|carbon]]- and [[Water and life|water]]-based [[cell (biology)|cellular]] form with complex [[organization]] and heritable [[gene]]tic information. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Scientific evidence suggests that [[Abiogenesis|life began]] on Earth approximately 3.5 [[billion years ago]]. The mechanism by which life emerged is unknown although [[Abiogenesis|many hypotheses]] have been formulated. Since then, life has evolved into a wide variety of forms, which biologists have [[biological classification|classified]] into a hierarchy of [[Taxon|taxa]]. Life can survive and thrive in a wide range of conditions. The [[meaning of life]]—its significance, origin, purpose, and ultimate fate—is a central concept and question in [[philosophy]] and [[religion]]. Both philosophy and religion have offered interpretations as to how life relates to [[existence]] and [[consciousness]], and on related issues such as [[life stance]], purpose, [[Conceptions of god|conception of a god or gods]], a [[Soul (spirit)|soul]] or an [[afterlife]]. Different cultures throughout history have had widely varying approaches to these issues. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Though the existence of life is only confirmed on Earth, many scientists believe [[extraterrestrial life]] is not only plausible, but probable. Other planets and moons in the [[Solar System]] have been examined for evidence of having once supported simple life, and projects such as [[SETI]] have attempted to detect transmissions from possible alien civilizations. According to the [[panspermia]] hypothesis, life on Earth may have originated from meteorites that spread organic molecules or simple life that first evolved elsewhere. | ||
+ | == See also == | ||
+ | *[[Death]] | ||
+ | *[[Everyday life]] | ||
+ | *[[Life force]] | ||
+ | *[[Life (magazine)]] | ||
+ | *[[Will to live]] | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==See also== | ||
+ | * [[Artificial life]] | ||
+ | * [[Biological immortality]] | ||
+ | * [[Biology]]—the study of life | ||
+ | * [[Carbon-based life]] | ||
+ | * [[Cell (biology)|Cell]] | ||
+ | * [[Conway's Game of Life]] | ||
+ | * [[Cycle of life]] | ||
+ | * [[Entropy and life]] | ||
+ | * [[Evolutionary history of life]] | ||
+ | * [[Extraterrestrial life]] | ||
+ | * [[Extremophile]] | ||
+ | * [[Gaia hypothesis]] | ||
+ | * [[Genetics]] | ||
+ | * [[Genetic engineering]] | ||
+ | * [[Hierarchy of life]] | ||
+ | * [[Kingdom (biology)]] | ||
+ | * [[Life form]] | ||
+ | * [[Life on Mars]] | ||
+ | * [[Meaning of life]] | ||
+ | * [[Nature]] | ||
+ | * [[Non-cellular life]] | ||
+ | * [[Organic life]] | ||
+ | * [[Organism]] | ||
+ | * [[Origin of life]] | ||
+ | * [[Personal life]] | ||
+ | * [[Phylogenetics]] | ||
+ | * [[Prehistoric life]] | ||
+ | * [[Prion]] | ||
+ | * [[Quality of life]] | ||
+ | * [[Silicon-based life]] | ||
+ | * [[Synthetic life]] | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | {{GFDL}} |
Current revision
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards" --Kierkegaard "Eroticism ... is assenting to life up to the point of death." [...] --Eroticism, Georges Bataille "We live in the best possible world [...]" --Gottfried Leibniz "According to Thomas Hobbes, humans in the state of nature are inherently in a "war of all against all," and life in that state is ultimately "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.""--Sholem Stein "Life is a sexually transmitted disease" "One must, in one's life, make a choice between boredom and suffering"--Germaine de Staël |
Related e |
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Life (cf. biota) is a characteristic that distinguishes objects that have signaling and self-sustaining processes from those that do not, either because such functions have ceased (death), or else because they lack such functions and are classified as inanimate. Biology is the science concerned with the study of life.
Any contiguous living system is called an organism. Organisms undergo metabolism, maintain homeostasis, possess a capacity to grow, respond to stimuli, reproduce and, through natural selection, adapt to their environment in successive generations. More complex living organisms can communicate through various means. A diverse array of living organisms can be found in the biosphere of Earth, and the properties common to these organisms—plants, animals, fungi, protists, archaea, and bacteria—are a carbon- and water-based cellular form with complex organization and heritable genetic information.
Scientific evidence suggests that life began on Earth approximately 3.5 billion years ago. The mechanism by which life emerged is unknown although many hypotheses have been formulated. Since then, life has evolved into a wide variety of forms, which biologists have classified into a hierarchy of taxa. Life can survive and thrive in a wide range of conditions. The meaning of life—its significance, origin, purpose, and ultimate fate—is a central concept and question in philosophy and religion. Both philosophy and religion have offered interpretations as to how life relates to existence and consciousness, and on related issues such as life stance, purpose, conception of a god or gods, a soul or an afterlife. Different cultures throughout history have had widely varying approaches to these issues.
Though the existence of life is only confirmed on Earth, many scientists believe extraterrestrial life is not only plausible, but probable. Other planets and moons in the Solar System have been examined for evidence of having once supported simple life, and projects such as SETI have attempted to detect transmissions from possible alien civilizations. According to the panspermia hypothesis, life on Earth may have originated from meteorites that spread organic molecules or simple life that first evolved elsewhere.
See also
See also
- Artificial life
- Biological immortality
- Biology—the study of life
- Carbon-based life
- Cell
- Conway's Game of Life
- Cycle of life
- Entropy and life
- Evolutionary history of life
- Extraterrestrial life
- Extremophile
- Gaia hypothesis
- Genetics
- Genetic engineering
- Hierarchy of life
- Kingdom (biology)
- Life form
- Life on Mars
- Meaning of life
- Nature
- Non-cellular life
- Organic life
- Organism
- Origin of life
- Personal life
- Phylogenetics
- Prehistoric life
- Prion
- Quality of life
- Silicon-based life
- Synthetic life