Editing Talk:2307: Alive Or Not

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I'm pretty sure high-pressure fire hoses belong on this scale[[User:60sRefugee|60sRefugee]] ([[User talk:60sRefugee|talk]]) 21:47, 15 May 2020 (UTC)

Funny, for once viruses are said to be alive. That's new... [[Special:Contributions/141.101.107.138|141.101.107.138]] 22:01, 15 May 2020 (UTC)
:Definitely new, and extremely angering! I could scream... [[Special:Contributions/172.68.143.30|172.68.143.30]] 22:47, 15 May 2020 (UTC)
::Jup. The nex disgusting piece of antiscience after Wednesday´s nonsense about handwashing helping against respirational diseases. I think Monroe has caught a bug from Potus Donald. --[[Special:Contributions/141.101.69.33|141.101.69.33]] 07:44, 16 May 2020 (UTC)
:::There was nothing unscientific about either one. The cold is spread in part by contact--it's why we cough into our elbows, not our hands now--it reduces spread. And whether or not viruses count as alive is debatable, not obviously wrong. They do have genetic material and reproduce, and you can kill them, making them inert in various ways. --> 
:::But even if he had been incorrect, comparing someone to some other hated figure for some much smaller slight is just Godwin-lite. And, like the original, it contributes nothing of value to the conversation. In no way does it help determine who is correct. [[User:Trlkly|Trlkly]] ([[User talk:Trlkly|talk]]) 16:49, 18 May 2020 (UTC)

Do we want to bicker over the placement of the line (like "Why is it below viruses"), or the order things are placed in (like "Why are slime molds below plants")? [[User:GreatWyrmGold|GreatWyrmGold]] ([[User talk:GreatWyrmGold|talk]]) 22:06, 15 May 2020 (UTC)
: Oh, go on. If you insist. You go first, unless you already have. ;) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.154.31|162.158.154.31]] 22:46, 15 May 2020 (UTC)
: Seconded, I'm most interested which criterion (even a numeric one, as the diagram is suggestive of) Randall used. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.158.163|162.158.158.163]] 09:43, 16 May 2020 (UTC)

True fossils have remineralised so generally do not have DNA left. They are merely the shadow of a previous life.
: So fossils are closer to "Rocks with Faces," well, for the ancient vertebrate fossils anyway?  [[User:Nutster|Nutster]] ([[User talk:Nutster|talk]]) 15:36, 16 May 2020 (UTC)

Surprised no one has noticed the typo yet.  It's 'archaea', not 'archea'
:(Sign yourself(/ves), "True fossils" and "Surprised"?) I disagree. It's 'archæa'... [[Special:Contributions/162.158.154.31|162.158.154.31]] 22:46, 15 May 2020 (UTC)

Poor English and a mistake. It should say...
"...discussion about *whether* virus*es* are alive." 
Also the (covid for starters) is wrong. Covid19 is the disease caused by the virus (as mentioned in the line above) not the virus itself

I am disappointed that sponges are not mentioned as an example of weird animals. I mean, come on, way weirder than jellyfish. But it is good that viruses get the recognition they deserve.[[User:Jkrstrt|Jkrstrt]] ([[User talk:Jkrstrt|talk]]) 13:34, 16 May 2020 (UTC)

When looking at viruses, I consider them made of the things of life (proteins, lipids, nucleic acids), but are not actually alive as they have no metabolism and can not reproduce on their own; they need to co-opt the protein production facility of truly living cells in order to reproduce.  Without a host, they just sit there (or maybe blow around on the wind).  Also without metabolism, they can not starve to death, like bacteria and other single-cell organisms that get into the wrong environment. [[User:Nutster|Nutster]] ([[User talk:Nutster|talk]]) 15:36, 16 May 2020 (UTC)
:Agreed that the lack of metabolism is a big thing. On the other hand, ''all'' organisms need an acceptable habitat to be able to reproduce, and viruses are no different: their habitat is their target cells, where they can reproduce like mad. Furthermore, viruses can be infected and killed by other viruses, namely by {{w|virophages}}, and it's hard to see how they can be killed if they weren't alive to begin with. Whether they're "alive" depends only on one's definition of the word; it can be interesting to discuss this because it reveals what people think "alive" means, but not because there's a true answer. [[User:DKMell|DKMell]] ([[User talk:DKMell|talk]]) 22:18, 18 May 2020 (UTC)
:: technically, virophages do not directly infect other viruses, they rather co-infect a cell and use the reproduction machinery of the other virus, blocking it at the same time...  [[Special:Contributions/162.158.93.27|162.158.93.27]] guest from outer space

Well, this raises the question where the sun (or any main sequence star) fall on this list. Is it just a really big thermonuclear fire?

This is not a COVID-19 comic. Just because it is biology-related, doesn't make it a COVID-19 comic. I have removed it from the category and its mention in the explanation.[[Special:Contributions/172.69.34.38|172.69.34.38]] 07:33, 17 May 2020 (UTC)
:Of course it is. The whole idea about this comic is to spark the discussion if Virus (covid) is alive or not. I put it back. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 21:59, 17 May 2020 (UTC)
::I fully disagree, this comic could have been published in previous years. This is only tangentially related to COVID-19, and is a general discussion about "life". Viruses are only barely mentioned in this comic. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.34.38|172.69.34.38]] 23:26, 17 May 2020 (UTC)
:::Agree it shouldn't be classified as COVID-19, but then there's a bunch of others that should be removed from the category: 2278, 2283, 2289, 2292, 2293.[[Special:Contributions/141.101.107.78|141.101.107.78]] 08:34, 18 May 2020 (UTC)
:::I wouldn't consider this comic about COVID-19, either. [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 13:49, 18 May 2020 (UTC)
::::OMG - this comic is centered around virus being alive or not in the midst of a virus pandemic that all comics the last two months has been about, and you cannot see the connection! Of course this is inspired by the previous comic about corona, with virus that speaks to us! --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 09:47, 19 May 2020 (UTC)
:::::Nope. Granted, there _may_ be a connection since it would indeed be fitting to the last comics and the current world situation. However nothing in the comic leads to the conclusion that it actually _is_. Unless you actually _are_ Randall there is no way you can actually say that it is "of course inspired" by the event/previous comic. It's all like "Sad", again - you are seeing "obvious" connections where there are none. Like 172.69.34.38 said, the comic wouldn't be less funny/informative/whatever without this connection. [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 11:00, 19 May 2020 (UTC)
::::::I disagree that this comic is inspired by or a "continuation" of the previous comic. Randall likes to anthropomorphize things, but that doesn't provide a lead-in to whether they are alive or not. These two comics are separate topics. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.35.47|172.69.35.47]] 23:36, 19 May 2020 (UTC)
:::::::Well I still think this is a clear continuation of the previous one and no matter what is a take on virus being alive or not, in the midst of a viral pandemic. Cannot understand the objectiopn at all to this being a COVIS 19 comic. But this disucssion is Not (alive). --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 14:09, 20 May 2020 (UTC)


Somewhat disappointed that he didn't include any fictional items such as golems. For that matter, where to place Alexa?  [[User:Cellocgw|Cellocgw]] ([[User talk:Cellocgw|talk]]) 10:51, 18 May 2020 (UTC)

I’m surprised this doesn’t include Schrödinger’s Cat at the origin. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.91.77|162.158.91.77]] 14:53, 18 May 2020 (UTC)
: Shouldn't Schrödinger’s Cat be in a super-position on both sides of the line? A pair of grey dots above and below the demarcation line. [[User:Nutster|Nutster]] ([[User talk:Nutster|talk]]) 11:45, 19 May 2020 (UTC)

Missed joke opportunity: which type of cloud? because one type of cloud has AI in it..

Why are slime molds below plants and fungi? They actually move.--[[Special:Contributions/172.68.189.241|172.68.189.241]] 17:05, 18 May 2020 (UTC)

I assume the reason mushrooms are so high up is because of https://xkcd.com/1749/

What?  No mention of "mostly dead is slightly alive"?  For those that don't get it - go watch The Princess Bride :) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.7.151|162.158.7.151]] 05:51, 25 May 2020 (UTC)