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Abiogenesis is the natural process by which life arises from non-living matter, such as simple organic compounds.
Life is a quality that distinguishes matter that has biological processes, such as signaling and self-sustaining processes, from matter that does not. It is defined descriptively by the capacity for homeostasis, organisation, metabolism, growth, adaptation, response to stimuli, and reproduction.
Biomass, living or dead biological matter, often plants grown as fuel; Biomass (ecology), the total mass of living matter in a given environment, or of a given species; Body fluid, any liquid originating from inside the bodies of living people; Cellular component, material and substances of which cells (and thus living organisms) are composed
Organic matter, organic material, or natural organic matter refers to the large source of carbon-based compounds found within natural and engineered, terrestrial, and aquatic environments. It is matter composed of organic compounds that have come from the feces and remains of organisms such as plants and animals . [ 1 ]
Spontaneous generation is a superseded scientific theory that held that living creatures could arise from non-living matter and that such processes were commonplace and regular. It was hypothesized that certain forms, such as fleas, could arise from inanimate matter such as dust, or that maggots could arise from dead flesh.
Living systems are life forms (or, more colloquially known as living things) treated as a system. They are said to be open self-organizing and said to interact with their environment. These systems are maintained by flows of information , energy and matter .
Matter should not be confused with mass, as the two are not the same in modern physics. [9] Matter is a general term describing any 'physical substance'.
This science is one of the two major branches of natural science, the other being physical science, which is concerned with non-living matter. Biology is the overall natural science that studies life, with the other life sciences as its sub-disciplines. Some life sciences focus on a specific type of organism.