The word biology means "the study of life" and is derived from the Greek words bios meaning life and logos meaning study. It is defined as thescience of life and living organisms. Biology is a broad field, covering from the chemistry of our cells to the study of ecosystems and global climate change. Biologists study the interactions of life. They study how living things interact with their environment and depend upon other living and nonliving things to aid their survival.They study from intimate details of the human brain to the composition of genes and the functioning of our reproductive system. They also study problems and propose solutions.
Learning about the history of biology is an attempt to understand the evolution of science. The concept of biology as a single coherent field arose in the 19th century, but the biological sciences emerged from ancient Egyptian and Greek traditions of medicine and natural history. This ancient work was further developed in the Middle Ages. During the European Renaissance and early modern period, biological thought was revolutionized in Europe by a new interest in empiricism and the discovery of many new microscopic organisms. Scientists have recently completed the deciphering of the human genome, the sequence of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) bases that may determine much of our innate capabilities and predispositions to certain forms of behavior and illnesses.
Characteristics of living organisms
All living things are organisms, individual forms of life composed of parts that work together to carry out processes of life, and they have many common characteristics. The most important are:
Organization. Living things have a high level of organization, and multicellular organisms are subdivided into cells, and cells into organelles, and organelles into molecules.
Reproduction and heredity. All cells come from existing cells and have some way of reproducing that involves asexual (no recombination of genetic material) or sexual (recombination of genetic material). Most living things use the chemical DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) to carry inheritance and the genetic information.
Adaptation. Living things can adapt to their mode of existence. They have the ability to adjust to the environment. Charles Darwin studied the adaptations that allow organisms to exist in their environment and to evolve.
Growth and development. Even single-celled organisms grow and develop into mature organisms. Multicellular organisms pass through a more complicated process of differentiation and organogenesis.
Interaction. Living things interact with their environment as well as each other. Organisms obtain raw materials and energy from the environment or another organism.
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If you have problems in understanding Biology the following site may be very helpful:
It has been created by Dr Leslie Samuel, a Biology teacher, to make Biology fun. Leslie Samuel has been teaching Biology, Physics, Algebra, Consumer Math and Geometry at Great Lakes Adventist Academy.
Watch the following video from interactive biology and visit the site for more videos:
In BBC Bitesize you can find guides, video clips and tests to support Biology curricula.
Biology test
Read and complete the following sentences:
1. The word biology means the _____________ of ___________.
2. The word biology is derived from the _______ words bios meaning ________ and logos meaning _____________.
3. Biologists study the _____________ of life and the interaction with the ______________.
4. Biologists study from intimate details of the __________ brain, to the ________________ of genes and the functioning of our _______________ system.
5. The human genome is the sequence of __________________ (DNA) bases that may determine much of our innate ______________ and ________________ to certain forms of __________ and illnesses.
6. Multicellular organisms are subdivided into ___________, and cells into ____________, and organelles into _____________.
7. All cells come from _______________cells and have some way of ___________
8. Reproduction _____________ asexual (no recombination of genetic material) or sexual reproduction (recombination of genetic material).
9. Most living things use the chemical DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) to carry __________ and the genetic ____________________.
10. Living things have the __________ to adjust to the environment.
11. Charles Darwin studied the ________________ that allow organisms to exist in their ____________ and to evolve.
12. Single-celled ______________ grow and ______________ into mature __________________.
13. Living things interact with their ___________________ as well as each other.
14. Organisms obtain raw ____________ and energy from the environment or another __________.
The word biology means "the study of life" and is derived from the Greek words bios meaning life and logos meaning study. It is defined as the science of life and living organisms. Biology is a broad field, covering from the chemistry of our cells to the study of ecosystems and global climate change. Biologists study the interactions of life. They study how living things interact with their environment and depend upon other living and nonliving things to aid their survival.They study from intimate details of the human brain to the composition of genes and the functioning of our reproductive system. They also study problems and propose solutions.
