Elolliset

Elolliset is the Finnish term for living beings or living things. In biology and education, elolliset refers to organisms that carry out life processes and differ from elottomat, or non-living objects. The concept is used to group entities that share fundamental characteristics of life.

Key features commonly associated with elolliset include metabolism, growth, reproduction, development, and response to stimuli. Most elolliset have cellular organization, and many are capable of self-sustained energy use and waste management. Movement is not a universal criterion for life, as some stationary organisms are still considered living, while some non-living systems can grow or change in appearance.

Classification of elolliset covers a broad range of life forms, including plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms such as bacteria and algae. Within this framework, subcategories distinguish unicellular from multicellular organisms and prokaryotic from eukaryotic cells. A notable area of discussion in biology is the status of viruses, which can reproduce and evolve but generally lack independent metabolism; many definitions therefore place viruses on the border between living and non-living.

In Finnish curricula, the distinction between elolliset and elottomat serves as an introductory organizing principle in early science, helping students recognize examples and non-examples in everyday life—ranging from trees and mushrooms to rocks, water, and air. The concept underpins later study of biology, ecology, and the diversity of life, while also highlighting the criteria scientists use to define living systems.