Animals, insects, bacteria, viruses etc are genetically coded biological machines. They have programmed intelligence and emotion that is part of their design.

What separates us from all other biological machines? We are conscious, living beings created in God’s image, which is soul and spirit (Genesis 2:7, John 4:24). God didn’t have a physical body until Jesus was born into the world.

Our physical bodies are biological machines and designed as a vehicle for us to interact in this physical universe (2 Peter 1:13). Without the spirit and soul, the human body would be like a plane without a pilot.

Our intelligence, emotion, and conscious awareness are not genetically encoded. Meaning, when the body is broken, the person (spirt/soul) can leave the body existing in the non-physical reality of spirit (2 Corinthians 5:8). Though the spirit can perceive the physical world in some manner. I’ve read scientists are now talking about how the spirit might have a quantum consciousness.

What happens when a non-human biological machine dies? I believe it would be something akin to shutting down your computer. Perhaps the non-human intelligence could be rebooted somehow from the genetic coding of the animal including the memories that were recorded. Animals do have a type of memory.

I love my new ant habitat. :)