ABSTRACT
In the nineteenth century, scientists were obsessed with discovering the nature of life. There were widespread reports that insects could be created by electrifying stones, and that it was possible for the spark of life to be spontaneously generated, to naturally spring out of nonliving things, an action which could be attributed to God. As animals grow, their bodies change to enable them to cope with each phase of their lives. Young male deer develop by growing bigger and stronger, and by the time they are mature they have grown imposing antlers which they can use to compete for the females. Living things behave in ways that are essential for keeping them alive and healthy. For example, animals grow, have babies, move, eat and drink, breathe, excrete their waste and sense the world. Non-living things may exhibit some of these characteristics, but not all of them.
