Biology is simply defined as the examination of all forms of life and living organisms. It falls under the category of natural sciences, alongside physics, chemistry, Earth sciences, and astronomy. These fields all arose from humanity’s innate curiosity about the nature and function of the world around us, as well as a strong desire to explain natural phenomena rationally.
Like other branches of natural sciences, biology traces its roots back to ancient civilizations, and likely even prior, as human beings amassed knowledge about their environment for survival. This included understanding which plants were edible or toxic, their locations, and the behaviors of animals, which aided in hunting or evading them. Initially based on observation, this knowledge eventually led to more thorough research as societies became more advanced. Ancient civilizations such as those in China, Egypt, and especially Greece began developing a systematic approach to studying nature.
In the 4th century BCE, the Greek philosopher Aristotle began a systematic examination of living organisms through classification and description. Meanwhile, Hippocrates, a Greek physician, laid down fundamental principles of medicine based on his observations of the human body. While their approaches were more descriptive than analytical and often incorrect by current standards, the insights and theories they generated established the groundwork for biological study for almost two millennia. Later, during the late Middle Ages (1250–1500), Islamic scholars contributed by preserving and expanding ancient knowledge, which led to a more sophisticated scientific methodology. This advancement paved the way for the scientific revolution that marked the European Renaissance and the Enlightenment period, establishing the sciences as we recognize them today, with biology recognized as a distinct field.
Contemporary science emphasizes a departure from mere description towards actively investigating how living organisms function. In biology, this shift signifies a focus on physiology, which explains life processes, over anatomy, which deals with physical structures. Given the vast diversity of life on Earth, various branches of biology began to develop.
The most notable division is based on the specific organisms studied, resulting in three primary branches: zoology, the study of animals; botany, the study of plants; and microbiology, the examination of microscopic life forms. As research progressed and became more specialized, additional subdivisions such as biochemistry, cell biology, and genetics emerged. Moreover, biological sciences have numerous practical applications in fields like medicine, healthcare, agriculture, and food production, and more recently, in addressing and understanding the environmental consequences of human activities.
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