Topics of Biology

Biology is the study of life done scientifically.  It is a natural science that studies all kinds of organisms and vital processes involving them. All living organisms are made up of cells that carry their genetic information. People who study biology is known as biologists, they study life at multiple levels of organisations. Life originated on the Earth about 3.7 billion years ago in a diverse form and contributed to the diversity of the ecosystem. Biology is derived from Ancient Greek words “bios” and “logia” which translates to life and branch of study respectively. 

Different topics of biology are: 

  • Origin of life: Life has originated through a supernatural event and is beyond the descriptive powers of any kind of science. Biology deals with the theory of life originating as algae first and then evolving into micro-organisms to further other living organisms. 
  • Cell Biology: It is the study of cells which is the fundamental unit of function and structure in a living organism. It was first observed with the help of a compound microscope in the 17th century. This field deals with studying the function of cells and how they work together, photosynthesis, cellular respiration, chemosynthesis and differentiation.
  • Biochemistry: In this section, chemistry is applied to study biological processes at the molecular and cellular levels. It became a distinct discipline only in the 20th century when scientists combined biology, chemistry and physiology to study the chemistry of living beings.
  • Molecular Biology: It is a branch of biology that deals with understanding all kinds of biological activities on a molecular basis between the cells. It involves studying molecular mechanisms, interactions, synthesis and modifications. Here, biological macromolecules are studied along with their chemical and physical structure. 
  • Genetics: This branch of biology deals with studying genes, heredity in organisms and genetic variations. It deals with the identification of genes and the fundamental units responsible for heredity. 
  • Evolution: Fossil fuel records provide evidence for the evolution of Earth involving great changes in organisms and Earth’s surface over time. This field allows us to study the process of mutation and the new traits.
  • Botany: This branch of biology studies the plant kingdoms including properties, structure and biochemical processes. It also deals with plant diseases, classification and how they interact with the environment.
  • Zoology: This field undergoes the study of the development of single-celled organisms into mammals. It studies the animal kingdom, its embryology, structure, classification, evolution, habits and distribution. Both extinct and living animals are studied in this section.
  • Ecology: In ecology, we study different organisms and how they interact with their surroundings. Here, the relationship between the living things and their habitats is studied along with examining the function of ecosystems.
  • Palaeontology: This field studies the life that existed before the start of the Holocene epoch. It deals with studying all kinds of fossils to classify organisms and study their interactions with the environment.
  • Anatomy: This branch of biology deals with the structure of organisms and their body parts. It is a natural science that studies the structural organisation of living things. 
  • Medicine: It is a branch of biology that deals with different kinds of diseases in a living organism and the drugs provided to cure them. It also studies different kinds of techniques used for determining the well being of an organism such as MRI, CT scan e.t.c.

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