Biology

What is biology?
By Alane Lim November 10, 2020
Biology is the study of everything that is, or was once, alive � whether it's a
plant, animal or microorganism.
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Close-up photo of a spotted green jewel bug on a blade of grass.
Biology is the study of all living organisms, including this adorable jewel bug and
the plant it's perched on. (Image credit: Shutterstock)
Biology is the study of life. The word "biology" is derived from the Greek words
"bios" (meaning life) and "logos" (meaning "study"). In general, biologists study
the structure, function, growth, origin, evolution and distribution of living
organisms.
Biology is important because it helps us understand how living things work and how
they function and interact on multiple levels, according to the Encyclopedia
Britannica. Advances in biology have helped scientists do things such as develop
better medicines and treatments for diseases, understand how a changing environment
might affect plants and animals, produce enough food for a growing human population
and predict how eating new food or sticking to an exercise regimen might affect our
bodies.
The basic principles of modern biology

Four principles unify modern biology, according to the book "Managing Science"
(Springer New York, 2010):
Cell theory is the principle that all living things are made of fundamental units
called cells, and all cells come from preexisting cells.
Gene theory is the principle that all living things have DNA, molecules that code
the structures and functions of cells and get passed to offspring.
Homeostasis is the principle that all living things maintain a state of balance
that enables organisms to survive in their environment.
Evolution is the principle that describes how all living things can change to have
traits that enable them to survive better in their environments. These traits
result from random mutations in the organism's genes that are "selected" via a
process called natural selection. During natural selection, organisms that have
traits better-suited for their environment have higher rates of survival, and then
pass those traits to their offspring.
The many branches of biology
Although there are only four unifying principles, biology covers a broad range of
topics that are broken into many disciplines and subdisciplines.
On a high level, the different fields of biology can each be thought of as the
study of one type of organism, according to "Blackie's Dictionary of Biology" (S
Chand, 2014). For example, zoology is the study of animals, botany is the study of
plants and microbiology is the study of microorganisms.
Related: Plant photos: Amazing botanical shots by Karl Blossfeldt
Within those broader fields, many biologists specialize in researching a specific

topic or problem. For example, a scientist may study behavior of a certain fish
species, while another scientist may research the neurological and chemical
mechanisms behind the behavior.
There are numerous branches and subdisciplines of biology, but here is a short list
of some of the more broad fields that fall under the umbrella of biology:
Biochemistry: The study of the chemical processes that take place in or are related
to living things, according to the Biochemical Society. For example, pharmacology
is a type of biochemistry research that focuses on studying how drugs interact with
chemicals in the body, as described in a 2010 review in the journal Biochemistry.
Ecology: The study of how organisms interact with their environment. For example,
an ecologist may study how honeybee behavior is affected by humans living nearby.
Genetics: The study of heredity. Geneticists study how genes are passed down by
parents to their offspring, and how they vary from person to person. For example,
scientists have identified several genes and genetic mutations that influence human
lifespan, as reported in a 2019 review published in the journal Nature Reviews
Genetics.
Physiology: The study of how living things work. Physiology, which is applicable to
any living organism, "deals with the life-supporting functions and processes of
living organisms or their parts," according to Nature. Physiologists seek to
understand biological processes, such as how a particular organ works, what its
function is and how it's affected by outside stimuli. For example, physiologists
have studied how listening to music can cause physical changes in the human body,
such as a slower or faster heart rate.

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What is biology?

By Alane Lim November 10, 2020

The basic principles of modern biology

Related: Plant photos: Amazing botanical shots by Karl Blossfeldt

Within those broader fields, many biologists specialize in researching a specific

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