“Life” is easy to recognize but difficult to define. According to one popular biology text, living things:

1. Are highly organized compared to natural inanimate objects. 

2. Display homeostasis, maintaining a relatively constant internal environment.

3. Reproduce themselves.

4. Grow and develop from simple beginnings.

5. Take energy and matter from the environment and transform it.

6. Respond to stimuli. 

7. Show adaptation to their environment. Score a person, a vacuum cleaner, and a potato with respect to these characteristics