Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms. Modern biology is a vast and eclectic field composed of many specialized disciplines that study the structure, function, growth, distribution, evolution, or other features of living organisms. However, despite the broad scope of biology, there are certain general and unifying concepts that govern all study and research
The key points in Biology
Biology has evolved as a field of science since it was first studied in ancient civilizations, although modern biology is a relatively recent field.
Science is a process that requires the testing of ideas using evidence gathered from the natural world. Science is iterative in nature and involves critical thinking, careful data collection, rigorous peer review, and the communication of results.
Science also refers to the body of knowledge produced by scientific investigation.
Pseudoscience is a belief presented as scientific although it is not a product of scientific investigation.
History of biological science
Although modern biology is a relatively recent development, sciences related to and included within it have been studied since ancient times. Natural philosophy was studied as early as the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indian subcontinent, and China. However, the origins of modern biology and its approach to the study of nature are most often traced back to ancient Greece. (Biology is derived from the Greek word “bio” meaning “life” and the suffix “ology” meaning “study of”)Advances in microscopy also had a profound impact on biological thinking. In the early 19th century, a number of biologists pointed to the central importance of the cell and in 1838, Schleiden and Schwann began promoting the now universal ideas of the cell theory. Jean-Baptiste Lamarck was the first to present a coherent theory of evolution, although it was the British naturalist Charles Darwin who spread the theory of naturali selection throughout the scientific community. In 1953, the discovery of the double helical structure of DNA marked the transition to the era of molecular genetics.
Biology and its importance
Biology is all about studying life and living organisms. We’re living organisms and we eat living organisms, so you could probably guess that it has something to tell us about what’s going on all around – and inside – us. But how important is biology to our everyday routines, below are some of the tips you will find interesting.
Understanding Our Bodies
From genetics to physiology, the many branches of biology have much to tell us about what the human body is made up of, how it works, and how it’s affected by what we eat, the air we breath, and every other aspect of the world around us. It can help us prevent, cure, and even eliminate disease. It can even teach us to become stronger and faster or lose weight.
Treating Disease
Biology as a whole is one of the cornerstones of all forms of modern healthcare. The field known as pharmacology is literally medicine. It deals with researching and creating everything from over-the-counter pain relievers to prescription drugs for depression.
Immunology studies our immune system and how it reacts to all sorts of different threats. Pathology diagnoses diseases and what causes them, as well as what they do to the body. Virology does the same for the many different viruses that may seek to do us harm.
Proper Nutrition
By knowing how our body works and what it reacts positively to, nutritionists are able to devise the perfect diet for our needs – whether that be losing weight or gaining it, fueling heavy exercise or just an office job. It’s all about proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and other key nutrients, how our body breaks them down, and where they fit into the equation of our overall health. This is the main concern of biochemistry.
For instance, we’re aware that sugar provides an energy spike but leads to a rough crash afterwards because of the way our body digests it and turns it into something we can use. We also know it can create unwanted fat deposits and do some bad things to our teeth. These are all things dealt with by nutritional biology.
When you make the decision to “eat healthier” you’re actually putting aspects of biology to work without even knowing it.
Exercise Science
Next time you watch sports, remember that you’re seeing biology’s influence in action. The athletes competing are capable of such amazing feats of speed and strength partially because of our understanding the human body through anatomy and other branches of biology. Scientists have used this knowledge to create the methods of training that help propel our sports stars to incredible heights.
And it goes beyond lifting weights to build muscle or running to develop endurance. Physiologists get into the nitty gritty about how and why our muscles react to stress. They discover what causes us to become dehydrated. Or what provides us with the energy to run marathons or dunk a basketball.
On the surface, you might just think you run out of breath when you run too far. But for exercise physiologists, they’re not content with such a basic explanation. They’ve dug deep to realize exactly how our body uses oxygen and the complex series of reactions that make us tired. To learn more about the science of exercise.
Understanding Our Environment
Humans aren’t the only living things biology is concerned with. It also tells us all about plants and animals – how they live, what they’re made up of, and how they interact with mankind and each other. This enables us to make the most of our planet’s natural resources while trying to minimize the impact we have on the environment.
