Journey of Discovery: Science, Physics, and Chemistry

    There are mainly three branches of Biology- botany, zoology and microbiology.    1.A Anatomy: Study of the structure of living things and their parts   Astrobiology: Study of the living universe  2.B Biotechnology: Study of technology related to  biology.   Botany: Scientific study of plants.   Biochemistry :  Study of chemical processes within or related to living  organisms.   Biophysics:   Study of physical processes and phenomena in living organisms.   Bionics:   Study of  mechanical  systems that work like living things or as part of a living  organism.   Bioinformatics:   Study of interpreting biological information through computer science. 3.C Cell Biology:  Study of cell structure and functions.   Chemical  Biology:  Study of the use of chemistry to solve biological  problems.   Computational Biology:  Study of using biological information t...

  With Aristotle and Theophrastus, the great Greek period of scientific investigation came to an end. The most famous of the new centres of learning were the library and museum in Alexandria. From 300 BCE until around the time of Christ, all significant biological advances were made by physicians at Alexandria. One of the most outstanding of those individuals was Herophilus, who dissected human bodies and compared their structures with those of other large mammals. He recognized the brain, which he described in detail, as the centre of the nervous system and the seat of intelligence. On the basis of his knowledge, he wrote a general anatomical treatise, a special one on the eyes, and a handbook for midwives. Library of Alexandria Illustration of the ancient Library of Alexandria, Egypt. Fine  Art Images/ Heritage-Images/age footstock   Erasistratus, a younger contemporary and reputed rival of Herophilus who also worked at the museum in Alexandria, studied the valves ...

  One of the earliest Greek philosophers, Thales of Miletus (c. 7th century BCE), maintained that the universe contained a creative force that he called physis, an early progenitor of the term physics, he also postulated that the world and all living things in it were made from water. Anaximander, a student of Thales, did not accept water as the only substance from which living things were derived; he believed that in addition to water, living things consisted of earth and a  gas like  substance called apeiron, which could be divided into hot and cold. Various mixtures of those materials gave rise to the four elements: earth, air, fire, and water. Although he was one of the first to describe Earth as a sphere rather than as a flat plane, Anaximander proposed that life arose spontaneously in mud and that the first animals to emerge had been fishes covered  with  spiny skin. The descendants of those fishes eventually left water and moved to dry land, where they ga...

  Although the Babylonians, Assyrians, Egyptians, Chinese, and Indians amassed much biological information, they lived in a world believed to be dominated by unpredictable demons and spirits. Hence, learned individuals in those early cultures directed their studies toward an understanding of the supernatural, rather than the natural, world. Anatomists, for example, dissected animals not to gain an understanding of their structure but to study their organs in order to predict the future. With the emergence of the Greek civilization, however, those mystical attitudes began to change. Around 600 BCE there arose a school of Greek philosophers who believed that every event has a cause and that a particular cause produces a particular effect. That concept, known as causality, had a profound effect on subsequent scientific investigation. Furthermore, those philosophers assumed the existence of a "natural law" that governs the universe and can be comprehended by humans through the us...

  Papyri and artifacts found in tombs and pyramids indicate that the Egyptians also possessed considerable medical knowledge. Their well- preserved mummies demonstrate that they had a thorough understanding of the preservative properties of herbs required for embalming; plant necklaces and bas-reliefs from various sources also reveal that the ancient Egyptians were well aware of the medicinal value of certain plants. An Egyptian compilation known as the Ebers papyrus (c. 1550 BCE) is one of the oldest known medical texts.  Ebers's  papyrus Ebers's papyrus prescription for asthma treatment. U.S. National Library of Medicine/National Institutes of Health  In ancient China, three mythical emperors-Fu Xi, Shennong, and Huangdi-whose supposed ruling periods extended from the 29th to the 27th century BCE, were said to possess medical knowledge. According to legend, Shennon described the therapeutic powers of numerous medicinal plants and included description...

   Much of the earliest recorded history of biology is derived from Assyrian and Babylonian bas-reliefs showing cultivated plants and from carvings depicting veterinary medicine. Illustrations on certain seals reveal that the Babylonians had learned that the date palm reproduces  sexually,  and that  pollen  could be taken from the male plant and used to fertilize female plants. Although a precise dating of those early records is lacking, a Babylonian business contract of the Hammurabi period (c. 1800 BCE) mentions the male flower of the date palm as an article of commerce, and descriptions of date harvesting extend back to about 3500 BCE.  date palm;   biology The  Babylonians knew of the separate sexes of the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) by the time of the Hammurabi period (c. 1792-1750 BCE). The species was one of the first plants in which sexual reproduction was recorded.  Another source of information concerning the extent of bio...

  Although it is not known when the study of biology originated, early humans must have had some knowledge of the animals and plants around them. Human survival depended upon the accurate recognition of nonpoisonous food plants and upon an understanding of the habits of dangerous predators. Archaeological records indicate that even before the development of civilization, humans had domesticated virtually all the amenable animals available to them and had developed an agricultural system sufficiently stable and efficient to satisfy the needs of large numbers of people living together in communities. It is clear, therefore, that much of the history of biology predates the time at which humankind began to write and to keep records. 

There are moments in the history of all sciences when remarkable progress is made in relatively short periods of time. Such leaps in knowledge result in great part from two factors: one is the presence of a creative mind-a mind sufficiently perceptive and original to discard hitherto accepted ideas and formulate new hypotheses; the second is the technological ability to test the hypotheses by appropriate experiments. The most original and inquiring mind is severely limited without the proper tools to conduct an investigation; conversely, the most-sophisticated technological equipment cannot of itself yield insights into any scientific process.  An example of the relationship between those two factors was the discovery of the cell. For hundreds of years there had been speculation concerning the basic structure of both plants and animals. Not until optical instruments were sufficiently developed to reveal cells, however, was it possible to formulate a general hypothesis, the cell the...

 Human Biology-Definition: Human biology is the branch of biology that focuses on humans in terms of evolution, genetics, anatomy and physiology, ecology, epidemiology, and anthropology. It can be a subfield of Primatology since humans belong to the group of primates, particularly of the family Hominidae (tribe Hominin ). Since human biology is a course that deals mainly with humans, it is a viable option for use as a preparatory Course  in medicine. 

Importance of Biology   Biology is the scientific way to understand life. Knowing the biological processes and functions of life is essential to gain a deeper knowledge and appreciation in life. Furthermore, it opens an avenue of resources for use in medicine and industry. How a biological process proceeds, its regulatory systems, and its components can lead to better awareness. For example, conservation efforts could begin to save a species that has been classified as endangered, i.e., on the verge of extinction.  Research: A specialist or an expert in the field of biology is called a biologist. Biologists look upon the biophysical, biomolecular, cellular, and systemic levels of an organism. They attempt to understand the mechanisms at play in various biological processes that govern life. They are also interested in coming up with innovations to create and improve life. Some of them have advocacies and are concerned with the conservation of species. Depending on th...

 Energy: In biology, energy is essential to drive various biological processes, especially anabolic reactions. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is the main energy Carrier of the cell. It is released from carbohydrates through glycolysis, fermentation, and oxidative phosphorylation. Lipids are another group of biomolecules that store energy. 

Homeostasis: Homeostasis is the tendency of an organism  to maintain optimal internal conditions. It entails a system of feedback controls so as to stabilize and keep up with the normal homeostatic range despite the changing external conditions. For instance, it employs homeostatic mechanisms to regulate temperature, pH, and blood pressure.   The homeostatic system is comprised of three main components: a receptor, a control center, and an effector. The receptor of the homeostatic system includes the various sensory receptors that can detect external and internal changes. The information is sent to the control center to process it and to produce a signal to incite an appropriate response from the effector. The concept of homeostasis is credited to Claude Bernard in 1865. 

Evolutionary theory  mutation  diagram  This diagram shows how mutation and selection work as key factors in evolution.  Evolution pertains to the genetic changes in a population over successive generations driven by natural selection, mutation, hybridization, or inbreeding. (Ref.4) Charles Darwin is one of the major contributors to the theory of evolution. He is known for his work Origin of Species by Natural Selection after his Beagle voyage.  He was able to observe different plant and animal species. Based on his analysis, he postulated that living things have an inherent tendency to produce offspring of the same kind. Thus, the survival of the species becomes dependent on the available food and space. As a result, organisms compete as the carrying capacity of the habitat would not be able to sustain a massive population. (Ref.5) Survival or struggle for existence, thus, becomes an individual feat. 

  Modern Principles and Concepts of Biology The fundamental principles of biology that are acceptable to this day include cell theory, gene theory, evolutionary theory, homeostasis, and energy.  cell  theory: Cell theory is a scientific theory proposed by the scientists, Theodor Schwann, Matthias Jakob Schleiden, and Rudolf Virchow. It is formulated to refute the old theory, Spontaneous generation. It suggests the following tenets:  (1) Al living things are made up of one or more cells. (2) the cell is the structural and functional unit. (3) cells come from a pre-existing process of division. (4) all cells have the same chemical composition. (5) energy flow occurs within the cell. (Ref.2)  Gene theory: test cross In Gene theory, the gene is the fundamental unit of heredity. In this chart (called Punnett Square), it shows how a particular phenotype of an offspring depends on the inherited alleles from the parents. In this example, the dominant trait (yellow color...

Introduction to Biology animal cell A typical cell of an animal. Inside the cell are organelles ( e.g.,  nucleus,  mitochondrion, endoplasmic  reticulum, and Golgi apparatus) and many other cytoplasmic structures.  A basic biology definition would be is that it is the study of living organisms. It is concerned with all that has life and living. (Ref.1) In contrast to inanimate objects, a living matter is one that demonstrates life. For instance, a living thing would be one that is comprised of a cell or a group of cells.   Each of these cells can carry out processes, e.g.,  anabolic and catabolic reactions , in order to sustain life. These reactions may be energy-requiring. They are also regulated through homeostatic mechanisms. A living matter would also be one that is capable of reacting to stimuli, adapt to its environment, reproduce, and grow.  The major groups of living things are animals, plants, fungi, protists, bact eria, and archaea. Biology ...

 Etymology living things Biology is the study of all living things. From top left to bottom right: archaeon, bacterium, protist, fungus, plant, and animal.  The term biology comes from the Greek Bós (bios), meaning "life" and from the Greek Aoyá (logia), meaning "study of". Abbreviation: biol. Synonyms: biological science; life science. 

  1.Basics of biology  Biology Definition: Biology is the branch of science that primarily deals with the  structure,  function, growth, evolution  n, and distribution of organisms. As a science, it is a methodological study of life and living things.    As a science, it is a methodological study of life and living things. It determines verifiable facts or formulates theories based on experimental findings on living things by applying the scientific method. An expert in this field is called a biologist. Some of the common objectives of their research include understanding the life processes, determining biological processes and mechanisms, and how these findings can be used in medicine and industry. Thus, biological research settings vary, e.g.,  inside a laboratory or in the wild.  Biology is a wide-ranging field. It encompasses various fields in science, Such as chemistry, physics, mathematics, and medicine. Biochemistry, for inst...