5 things define life as we know it on earth:
1. Growth
2. Reproduction
3. Homeostasis (balance of internal environment)
4. Sense and respond to stimuli
5. Obtain and use energy
Considering these stipulations, if a 2000 year old wheat seed in Egypt was taken, planted, and grew, was it alive or dead when buried in the pyramid? I have to say that it was alive. Though it did not grow while in the pyramid, it had the potential to grow. The seed itself was a gamete used in the reproduction of wheat, and therefore was alive at one point, and had its own maintained internal environment. When taken from the pyramid and planted, the seed grew, which means it still held the ability to respond to external stimuli. This means that, yes, the seed was still alive after 2000 years. This is no surprise to me. It is not uncommon for us to store and freeze our own human gametes in order for them to grow in the future. These eggs grow just as well as any other live egg currently in a body. If human "seeds" can respond to stimuli a mere 10 years in the future, a hardy wheat seed can most definitely survive, even thrive, after 2000 years.
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