In science, what is the basic unit of life?

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Cells are the basic unit of life because they carry out all the processes that define living things—metabolism, growth, response to the environment, and reproduction. In organisms, cells are the building blocks that form tissues and organs, and even single-celled organisms perform all life functions within one cell. This idea is captured by the cell theory: all living things are made of cells; cells are the smallest units that are alive; new cells arise from existing cells. Atoms and molecules, while essential building blocks of matter, don’t carry out life on their own. An organ is a structure made of tissues that performs a specific function, but it isn’t the unit that represents life by itself.