• Question: are cells in EVERYTHING? even in computers?! i thought they would burn because they cant go on the sun because of the heat but how could they with stand laptop heat?

    Asked by amberhoward to Chris, Anouk, Judith, Leisha, Seyyed on 12 Jun 2012. This question was also asked by isabelle.
    • Photo: Chris Kettle

      Chris Kettle answered on 12 Jun 2012:

      Computers use circuits and chips at the moment – although biological computers would mean larger storage in smaller space. Look at the human brain. It has the potenetial to work faster than the fastest computers. If we could create a living computer then it would be so much better thanb the ones you buy in the shops.

      Cells tend to only be in living organisms. And yes, high heat would fry most cells. However, some fungi (mini mushrooms) can sporulate – the produce little capsules of cells. These “Spores” can survive high temperatures and will grow when the temperature drops to normal.

    • Photo: Judith Sleeman

      Judith Sleeman answered on 14 Jun 2012:

      See comments!

    • Photo: Seyyed Shah

      Seyyed Shah answered on 18 Jun 2012:

      It depends on what we mean by cells. A cell can be a unit of something. For example, in a honeycomb of a beehive each hexagon shape is a cell. Cells are the repeating units, and lots of them make a honeycomb.

      Like the cells in the honeycomb, there are lots of repeating units (cells) in our bodies and other living things. But, the cells in living things are alive. What we mean by this is that these cells can grow, repair themselves, make energy from food, make waste products and do other interesting things. These living cells have a very specialised structure.

      I don’t know if there are any repeating units in the computer which could be called cells, but if there were, these cells would be like the cells of the honeycomb. They would not be alive.

      Viruses are thought to be alive. But, they are not made up of cells. So, not all living things are made from cells. Also, some living things are made of only once cell. For example, a bacterium is made of just one cell.

Comments

  • Photo: Judith

    Judith commented on :

    Yes, Amber, as Chris says, the type of cells we work on are only in living organisms. As well as fungal spores, though, there are organisms called Archea (little single cell things a bit like bacteria) that can live at high temperatures, up to about 120 degree celcius.

    However, other types of scientist also use the word ‘cell’ to describe other things: solar cells are used in solar panels to collect energy from the sun, fuel cells for some new developments in car engines and I think there’s a type of microchip called a cell as well: in Playstations, I think. But these aren’t the same kind of DNA/protein cell that we’re made of.