2007-09-05 03:33:08 · 16 answers · asked by lowebes 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
The cell is the smallest unit of life.
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2007-09-05 03:39:16 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Ususally the smallest possible for of life is defind by the fact that is must contain a sort of DNA (otherwise it could not reproduce itself) For we know how complex DNA usually is, we had determined that the smallest possible form of life cannot be smaller than about 200 nano meters (=10 EXP -9 meter). But meanwhile, a couple of years ago and also inspired by space reasearch, an Austarlian lady (biologist) found a kind of stone like "thing", that is no bacteria nor a virus nor dead ... it's just "stone-like" because it appears to live incredibly slowly ... Some sort was found, and it lives in stones. Actually many of them. The problem ist: it is ony about 20 nano meter in size, clearly spoken ten times smaller than what we had defined the smallest kind of life form could be ... however, all other definitions of life fit: it grows, it develops, there is some DNA and there appaers to be some metabolism, and also somekind of reproduction ... but infinitely slowly. She and her team published these discoveries about 3 years ago and let the world know and check on it.
Since then, scientist are arguing weather these "things" actually are a life form or a sort of developing and strange mineral we don't know yet.
2007-09-05 03:48:12 · answer #2 · answered by jhstha 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A bacteria. Viruses are smaller but they cannot live as separate entities. There is some debate whether to even call viruses alive.
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That would be the lowest form of life lenmac..
2007-09-05 04:22:12 · answer #3 · answered by DrAnders_pHd 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That depends how you define 'life' and 'separate entity'. Certain computer viruses or life forms inside computer programs are probably the smallest known forms of life that we know of.
2007-09-05 03:40:02 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Viruses are generally recognized as the smallest unit of life, but some bacteriophages (viral infectors of bacteria) are smaller than 'regular' viruses.
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2007-09-05 03:45:18 · answer #5 · answered by tlbs101 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Cell
2016-05-17 08:22:04 · answer #6 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Science has no description of the size of the soul or spirit.
However the mallest mass of the Universe is in the order of 10^-35 meters in diameters.
If the Universe was the inverse size of that it would be 10^35 meters in diametere.
2007-09-05 03:56:12 · answer #7 · answered by goring 6 · 0⤊ 3⤋
That depends on the species.
A cell of many microbial species can exist on its own.
2007-09-05 03:47:31 · answer #8 · answered by ag_iitkgp 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A separate entity of what?, water, air, heat, food, or a host?
2007-09-05 03:40:52 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
A parasitic bacterium called Mycoplasma genitalium
2007-09-05 03:38:04 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋