what is the smallest living organism on earth?

Answer 1

This question is controversial and it is also a subject of endless discussion, since we also need to know "What is life?"
Most bacteriology textbooks say Mycoplasma genitalium is the smallest known organism capable of independent growth and reproduction. Its size is given as 0.2 to 0.3 µm (micrometers). A µm is one millionth of a meter (or one thousandth of a millimeter). An average bacterium, like E. coli, is about 1 µm by 3 µm (it has a rod shape). A red blood cell is 8 µm in diameter and the average human cell is about 25 µm across.

Viruses are DNA or RNA that are unable to "live" without invading another cell and they use the molecular machinery of the host cell for metabolism and replication. "Are viruses alive?" is a philosophical question. They certainly have a life cycle and many would say that they are alive when they are infecting a cell. But whether they are alive or not, they don't have to carry around all the genes needed for an independent existence.

And then there are viroids. Viroids are small circular single strands of RNA that lack a protein coat. To date, they have been shown to only cause plant diseases. Their RNA can be as short as 248 nucleotides long (80,000 molecular weight), which can be less than 10 nm diameter.

What about prions? Prions are thought to be infectious protein particles that cause several diseases in humans and animals, including Mad Cow Disease. The latest theory is that Prions recruit proteins similar to themselves in the membranes of brain cells. By lining up next to these proteins, they cause a conformational change that converts these brain proteins into Prion proteins, which are about 30,000 molecular weight, or about 5 nm. (These proteins can't be broken down by the cell, so they form aggregates that clog the cell.) It might be a stretch to say that prions are alive, but for completeness, here they are. Somewhere from prions to bacteria you can say life starts, and there are the sizes...

Answer 2

Smallest Living Organism

Answer 3

Smallest Organism

Answer 4

Nano-sized Hyperthermophilic Archaeon is the newest and smallest living organism found at this time. The most commonly talked about one is Mycoplasma Genitaluim though, which lives in the primate genital and respiratory tracts and is a little larger than the other. But, even smaller are those in the class of semi-living viruses.

Answer 5

The largest organism on earth is the Great Barrier Reef, The largest Mammal on earth is the Blue Whale, The Largest Bird is the Ostrich, The Largest Insect is the Elwood Bug, The Largest Reptile is the Australian Saltwater Crocodile. The largest extinct Predator is the Spynosouras, the largest Extinct herbivore is the Brachiosouras. Hope this helps

Answer 6

Everything in the physical universe is living, in some form, whether it has a complete DNA or RNA. Everything has a purpose, or it would not exist. The moment any type of form appears in our three dimensional universe, it has life, a purpose. To realize the origin of the universe, gives one an insight into how the system functions and clarifies how humanity needs to view what qualifies a form to be considered alive. If the smallest non-human life forms are confirmed to contain life, then it is imperative that a new paradigm be established regarding when life begins in humans. The moment a sperm is produced, it is a life-form, the foundation of our existence and needs to be respected as such and for humanity to eliminate the attitude that it is a right to abort because of failure to take responsibility for thoughts, decisions, and actions.

Answer 7

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The largest organism found on earth can be measured using a variety of methods. It could be defined as the largest by volume, mass, height, or length. Some creatures group together to form a superorganism, though this cannot truly be classed as one large organism. (The Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest coral reef (stretching 2,000 km) has been shown to be a collection of many organisms and is the largest known superorganism, though Gaia theory would consider the whole of the biosphere as a sort of superorganism.) The Aspen tree (Populus tremuloides) forms large stands of genetically identical trees (technically, stems) connected by a single underground root system. These trees form through root sprouts coming off an original parent tree, though the root system may not remain a single unit in all specimens. The largest known fully-connected Aspen is a grove in Utah nicknamed Pando, and some experts call it the largest[1] organism in the world, by mass or volume.[2] It covers 43 hectares (.43 km²) and is estimated to weigh 6,600 tons. [3] A giant fungus of the species Armillaria ostoyae in the Malheur National Forest in Oregon was found to span 8.9 km² (2,200 acres)[1], which would make it the largest organism by area. Whether or not this is an actual individual organism, however, is disputed: some tests have indicated that they have the same genetic makeup [2], but unless its mycelium is fully connected, it is a clonal colony of numerous smaller individuals. Another clonal colony that rivals the Armillaria and the Populus colonies in size is a strand of the giant marine plant, Posidonia oceanica, discovered in the Mediterranean Sea near the Balearic Islands. It is about 8 km (4.3 miles) in length. Excluding multi-stem trees, the General Sherman tree, an individual Giant Sequoia with a volume of 1487 m³, would hold the title of the world's largest living organism, if measured in volume and mass.[3] This tree stands 83.8 m (274 ft 11 in) tall and the trunk alone is estimated to weigh over 2000 tons. The largest single-stem tree ever measured was the “Lindsey Creek Tree,” a coastal redwood with a minimum trunk volume of over 2500 m³ and a mass of over 3600 tons, which fell over during a storm in 1905.[4] By volume and weight, the largest known animal ever to have lived is the blue whale, an endangered species whose official record length is 33.58 m (110 ft 2 inches), and weight 210 tons (for a pregnant female). The largest land animals today are male Savannah Elephants, with one known example weighing around 12,272 kg (27,000 lb), though many extinct species, such as many dinosaurs, were much larger.

Answer 8

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what is the smallest living organism on earth?

Answer 9

The smallest living roganism on earth is AMEEBA

Answer 10

the virus is the smallest living organism on the earth.it can be seen only through an electron microscope.