That's not true.
And scientists cannot even decide if viruses are truly "alive" because they straddle the boundary between what is "living" and what is not.
Sure it is. Here's an interesting link to the subject at the University of Virginia. (The author's an evo BTW).
Now creditionaled people are, of course, speculating on abiogenisis. But when they do they (generally) are participating in metaphysics or philosophy rather than science.
The hard and fast presumption of biology is when life is found it came from other life.
A-G & Betty, you may enjoy the link -- and not just the Bently Glass aritcle. It looks like a great resource.