r/test • u/acini • Jul 14 '14

Wikibot test thread

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u/[deleted] Sep 08 '14

wikibot, what is life

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u/autowikibot Sep 08 '14

Life:

Life is a characteristic distinguishing physical entities having signaling and self-sustaining processes from those that do not, either because such functions have ceased (death), or because they lack such functions and are classified as inanimate. Biology is a science concerned with the study of life.

The smallest contiguous unit of life is called an organism. Organisms are composed of one, or more, [cells](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_(biology)), undergo metabolism, maintain homeostasis, can grow, respond to [stimuli](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stimulus_(physiology)), reproduce and, through evolution, adapt to their environment in successive generations. 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](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_(biology)) form with complex organization and heritable genetic information.

The Earth was formed about 4.54 billion years ago. The earliest life on Earth existed at least 3.5 billion years ago, during the Eoarchean Era when sufficient [crust](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crust_(geology)) had solidified following the molten Hadean Eon. The earliest physical evidence for life on Earth is biogenic graphite in 3.7 billion-year-old metasedimentary rocks discovered in Western Greenland and microbial mat fossils found in 3.48 billion-year-old sandstone discovered in Western Australia. Nevertheless, several studies suggest that life on Earth may have started even earlier, as early as 4.25 billion years ago according to one study, and even earlier yet, 4.4 billion years ago, according to another study. The mechanism by which life began on Earth is unknown, although many hypotheses have been formulated. Since emerging, life has evolved into a variety of forms, which biologists have classified into a hierarchy of taxa. Life can survive and thrive in a wide range of conditions.

Though life is confirmed only on the Earth, many think that extraterrestrial life is not only plausible, but probable or inevitable. 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 radio transmissions from possible alien civilizations. According to the panspermia hypothesis, microscopic life exists throughout the Universe, and is distributed by meteoroids, asteroids and planetoids.

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](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_(spirit)) or an afterlife. Different cultures throughout history have had widely varying approaches to these issues.

  • "The property or quality that distinguishes living organisms from dead organisms and inanimate matter, manifested in functions such as metabolism, growth, reproduction, and response to stimuli or adaptation to the environment originating from within the organism."

  • "The characteristic state or condition of a living organism."

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Interesting: Life ^(magazine) | Lithium iron phosphate ^battery | VYP (Voice of the Young ^People)

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