True or False: Viruses are exclusively found in living organisms.

Viruses are not exclusively found in living organisms; therefore, the statement is false. While viruses can infect living cells—including those of plants, animals, and bacteria—they exist outside of living organisms in an inactive form. Viruses can be found in various environments, including in water, soil, and airborne particles, where they exist as independent particles known as virions. This ability to exist outside of a host and remain inactive until they encounter a suitable living cell highlights their unique nature, straddling the line between living and non-living entities since they cannot reproduce or carry out metabolic processes on their own. This understanding is critical in virology and helps clarify how viruses interact with and impact living systems, making the concept that they are exclusively found in living organisms inaccurate.