All living things share nine key characteristics: they adapt over time, can heal from injury, have DNA and/or RNA, will die at some point, can sense danger, can reproduce and grow, need water and energy, are made of cells, and must move or they will die. These characteristics distinguish living things from non-living things like rocks, posters, shoes, computers, chairs, tables, and phones that do not adapt, heal, have genetic material, die, sense danger, reproduce, need nutrients, be made of cells, or require movement.