The history of biology traces the study of the living world from ancient to modern times. Although the concept of biology as a single coherent field arose in the 19th century, the biological sciences emerged from traditions of medicine and natural history reaching back to ayurveda, ancient Egyptian medicine and the works of Aristotle and Galen in the ancient Greco-Roman world. This ancient work was further developed in the Middle Ages by Muslim physicians and scholars such as Avicenna. During the European Renaissance and early modern period, biological thought was revolutionized in Europe by a renewed interest in empiricism and the discovery of many novel organisms. Prominent in this movement were Vesalius and Harvey, who used experimentation and careful observation in physiology, and naturalists such as Linnaeus and Buffon who began to classify the diversity of life and the fossil record, as well as the development and behavior of organisms. Microscopy revealed the previously unknown world of microorganisms, laying the groundwork for cell theory. The growing importance of natural theology, partly a response to the rise of mechanical philosophy, encouraged the growth of natural history (although it entrenched the argument from design).
Over the 18th and 19th centuries, biological sciences such as botany and zoology became increasingly professional scientific disciplines. Lavoisier and other physical scientists began to connect the animate and inanimate worlds through physics and chemistry. Explorer-naturalists such as Alexander von Humboldt investigated the interaction between organisms and their environment, and the ways this relationship depends on geography—laying the foundations for biogeography, ecology and ethology. Naturalists began to reject essentialism and consider the importance of extinction and the mutability of species. Cell theory provided a new perspective on the fundamental basis of life. These developments, as well as the results from embryology and paleontology, were synthesized in Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection. The end of the 19th century saw the fall of spontaneous generation and the rise of the germ theory of disease, though the mechanism of inheritance remained a mystery.
In the early 20th century, the rediscovery of Mendel's work led to the rapid development of genetics by Thomas Hunt Morgan and his students, and by the 1930s the combination of population genetics and natural selection in the "neo-Darwinian synthesis". New disciplines developed rapidly, especially after Watson and Crick proposed the structure of DNA. Following the establishment of the Central Dogma and the cracking of the genetic code, biology was largely split between organismal biology—the fields that deal with whole organisms and groups of organisms—and the fields related to cellular and molecular biology. By the late 20th century, new fields like genomics and proteomics were reversing this trend, with organismal biologists using molecular techniques, and molecular and cell biologists investigating the interplay between genes and the environment, as well as the genetics of natural populations of organisms.
Charles Darwin- developed the theory of natural selection
Anton van Leeuwenhoek- improved the microscope
Robert Hooke- first one to discover the "cell"
Hans Adolf Krebs- discovered the citric acid cycle
Jean-Baptiste Lamarck- developed the theory of acquired characteristics (even though it is objected)
Carolus Linnaeus- developed the classification system: binomial nomenclature
Gregor Mendel- known as the "father of genetics," famous for the genetic results from his pea plants
Alexander Oparin- famous for his explanations on the history of life
Louis Pasteur- first one to solve the problem of spontaneous generation
Ivan Pavlov- known for his research on the digestive system
T.H. Morgan- worked with Drosophila and found out that genes are on chromosomes
Frederick Morgan- found that substance passed from dead bacteria to live bacteria is called “Transforming Factor”
Martha Chase and Alfred Hershey- found out that DNA makes up the genetic material of viruses
James D. Watson and Francis Crick- developed the double helix model of DNA with the help of other scientists: Linus Pauling, Rosalind Franklin, and Maurice Wilkins
Emil Fisher- synthesis of glucose, fructose, mannose starting with glycerol, establishing structures for the 16 stereoisomers of the aldohexoses with glucose as the most prominent member
Jane Goodall- known for her research on chimpanzees
Jonas Salk- developed a virus for polio
Theodor Schwann- contributed to the cell theory: "All living things are composed of cells."
Matthias Jakob Schleiden- contributed to the cell theory: "All plants are composed of cells."
Rudolf Virchow: contributed to the cell theory: "All animals are composed of cells."
William Harvey- first one to correctly describe systemic circulation
Robert Koch- developed his postulates for discovering diseases
Branches of Biology
Guest Author - Alegra Bartzat
Branches of Biology
Biology, the study of life, has many aspects to it and many specializations within this broad field. Below is an alphabetical list of many of the branches of biology.
Agriculture - study of producing crops from the land, with an emphasis on practical applications
Anatomy - the study of the animal form, with an emphasis on human bodies
Biochemistry - the study of the chemical reactions required for life to exist and function, usually a focus on the cellular level
Bioengineering - the study of biology through the means of engineering with an emphasis on applied knowledge and especially related to biotechnology.
Bioinformatics - also classified as a branch of information technology (IT) it is the study, collection, and storage of genomic data
Biomathematics or Mathematical Biology - the study of biological processes through mathematics, with an emphasis on modeling.
Biomechanics - often considered a branch of medicine, the study of the mechanics of living beings, with an emphasis on applied use through artificial limbs, etc.
Biophysics - the study of biological processes through physics, by applying the theories and methods traditionally used in the physical sciences
Biotechnology - a new and sometimes controversial branch of biology that studies the manipulation of living matter, including genetic modification
Botany - the study of plants
Cell Biology - the study of the cell as a complete unit, and the molecular and chemical interactions that occur within a living cell.
Conservation Biology - the study of the preservation, protection, or restoration of the natural environment, natural ecosystems, vegetation, and wildlife
Cryobiology - the study of the effects of lower than normally preferred temperatures on living beings.
Developmental Biology - the study of the processes through which an organism develops, from zygote to full structure.
Ecology - the study of the ecosystem as a complete unit, with an emphasis on how species and groups of species interact with other living beings and non-living elements.
Entomology - the study of insects
Environmental Biology - the study of the natural world, as a whole or in a particular area, especially as affected by human activity
Epidemiology - a major component of public health research, it is the study of factors affecting the health and illness of populations
Ethology - the study of animal behavior.
Evolution or Evolutionary Biology - the study of the origin and decent of species over time
Genetics - the study of genes and heredity.
Herpetology - the study of reptiles (and amphibians?)
Histology - The study of cells and tissue, a microscopic branch of anatomy.
Ichthyology - the study of fish
Macrobiology - the study of biology on the level of the macroscopic individual (plant, animal, or other living being) as a complete unit.
Mammology - the study of mammals
Marine Biology - the study of ocean ecosystems, plants, animals, and other living beings.
Medicine - the study of the human body in health and disease, with allopathic medicine focusing on alleviating or curing the body from states of disease
Microbiology - the study of microscopic organisms (microorganisms) and their interactions with other living things
Molecular Biology - the study of biology and biological functions at the molecular level, some cross over with biochemistry
Mycology - the study of fungi
Neurobiology - the study of the nervous system, including anatomy, physiology, even pathology
Oceanography - the study of the ocean, including ocean life, environment, geography, weather, and other aspects influencing the ocean. See Marine Biology
Ornithology - the study of birds
Paleontology - the study of fossils and sometimes geographic evidence of prehistoric life
Pathobiology or pathology - the study of diseases, and the causes, processes, nature, and development of disease
Parisitology - the study of parasites and parasitism
Pharmacology - the study and practical application of preparation, use, and effects of drugs and synthetic medicines.
Physiology - the study of the functioning of living organisms and the organs and parts of living organisms
Phytopathology - the study of plant diseases
Pre-medicine - a college major that covers the general aspects of biology as well as specific classes relevant to the study of medicine
Virology - the study of viruses and some other virus-like agents, usually considered part of microbiology or pathology
Zoology - the study of animals and animal life, including classification, physiology, development, and behavior (See also Entomology, Ethology, Herpetology, Ichthyology, Mammology, Ornithology
Scientific method refers to a body of techniques for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge.[1] To be termed scientific, a method of inquiry must be based on gathering empirical and measurable evidence subject to specific principles of reasoning.
The steps of the scientific method are to:
Ask a Question
Do Background Research
Construct a Hypothesis
Test Your Hypothesis by Doing an Experiment
Analyze Your Data and Draw a Conclusion
Communicate Your Results
Over the 18th and 19th centuries, biological sciences such as botany and zoology became increasingly professional scientific disciplines. Lavoisier and other physical scientists began to connect the animate and inanimate worlds through physics and chemistry. Explorer-naturalists such as Alexander von Humboldt investigated the interaction between organisms and their environment, and the ways this relationship depends on geography—laying the foundations for biogeography, ecology and ethology. Naturalists began to reject essentialism and consider the importance of extinction and the mutability of species. Cell theory provided a new perspective on the fundamental basis of life. These developments, as well as the results from embryology and paleontology, were synthesized in Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection. The end of the 19th century saw the fall of spontaneous generation and the rise of the germ theory of disease, though the mechanism of inheritance remained a mystery.
In the early 20th century, the rediscovery of Mendel's work led to the rapid development of genetics by Thomas Hunt Morgan and his students, and by the 1930s the combination of population genetics and natural selection in the "neo-Darwinian synthesis". New disciplines developed rapidly, especially after Watson and Crick proposed the structure of DNA. Following the establishment of the Central Dogma and the cracking of the genetic code, biology was largely split between organismal biology—the fields that deal with whole organisms and groups of organisms—and the fields related to cellular and molecular biology. By the late 20th century, new fields like genomics and proteomics were reversing this trend, with organismal biologists using molecular techniques, and molecular and cell biologists investigating the interplay between genes and the environment, as well as the genetics of natural populations of organisms.
Charles Darwin- developed the theory of natural selection
Anton van Leeuwenhoek- improved the microscope
Robert Hooke- first one to discover the "cell"
Hans Adolf Krebs- discovered the citric acid cycle
Jean-Baptiste Lamarck- developed the theory of acquired characteristics (even though it is objected)
Carolus Linnaeus- developed the classification system: binomial nomenclature
Gregor Mendel- known as the "father of genetics," famous for the genetic results from his pea plants
Alexander Oparin- famous for his explanations on the history of life
Louis Pasteur- first one to solve the problem of spontaneous generation
Ivan Pavlov- known for his research on the digestive system
T.H. Morgan- worked with Drosophila and found out that genes are on chromosomes
Frederick Morgan- found that substance passed from dead bacteria to live bacteria is called “Transforming Factor”
Martha Chase and Alfred Hershey- found out that DNA makes up the genetic material of viruses
James D. Watson and Francis Crick- developed the double helix model of DNA with the help of other scientists: Linus Pauling, Rosalind Franklin, and Maurice Wilkins
Emil Fisher- synthesis of glucose, fructose, mannose starting with glycerol, establishing structures for the 16 stereoisomers of the aldohexoses with glucose as the most prominent member
Jane Goodall- known for her research on chimpanzees
Jonas Salk- developed a virus for polio
Theodor Schwann- contributed to the cell theory: "All living things are composed of cells."
Matthias Jakob Schleiden- contributed to the cell theory: "All plants are composed of cells."
Rudolf Virchow: contributed to the cell theory: "All animals are composed of cells."
William Harvey- first one to correctly describe systemic circulation
Robert Koch- developed his postulates for discovering diseases
Branches of Biology
Guest Author - Alegra Bartzat
Branches of Biology
Biology, the study of life, has many aspects to it and many specializations within this broad field. Below is an alphabetical list of many of the branches of biology.
Agriculture - study of producing crops from the land, with an emphasis on practical applications
Anatomy - the study of the animal form, with an emphasis on human bodies
Biochemistry - the study of the chemical reactions required for life to exist and function, usually a focus on the cellular level
Bioengineering - the study of biology through the means of engineering with an emphasis on applied knowledge and especially related to biotechnology.
Bioinformatics - also classified as a branch of information technology (IT) it is the study, collection, and storage of genomic data
Biomathematics or Mathematical Biology - the study of biological processes through mathematics, with an emphasis on modeling.
Biomechanics - often considered a branch of medicine, the study of the mechanics of living beings, with an emphasis on applied use through artificial limbs, etc.
Biophysics - the study of biological processes through physics, by applying the theories and methods traditionally used in the physical sciences
Biotechnology - a new and sometimes controversial branch of biology that studies the manipulation of living matter, including genetic modification
Botany - the study of plants
Cell Biology - the study of the cell as a complete unit, and the molecular and chemical interactions that occur within a living cell.
Conservation Biology - the study of the preservation, protection, or restoration of the natural environment, natural ecosystems, vegetation, and wildlife
Cryobiology - the study of the effects of lower than normally preferred temperatures on living beings.
Developmental Biology - the study of the processes through which an organism develops, from zygote to full structure.
Ecology - the study of the ecosystem as a complete unit, with an emphasis on how species and groups of species interact with other living beings and non-living elements.
Entomology - the study of insects
Environmental Biology - the study of the natural world, as a whole or in a particular area, especially as affected by human activity
Epidemiology - a major component of public health research, it is the study of factors affecting the health and illness of populations
Ethology - the study of animal behavior.
Evolution or Evolutionary Biology - the study of the origin and decent of species over time
Genetics - the study of genes and heredity.
Herpetology - the study of reptiles (and amphibians?)
Histology - The study of cells and tissue, a microscopic branch of anatomy.
Ichthyology - the study of fish
Macrobiology - the study of biology on the level of the macroscopic individual (plant, animal, or other living being) as a complete unit.
Mammology - the study of mammals
Marine Biology - the study of ocean ecosystems, plants, animals, and other living beings.
Medicine - the study of the human body in health and disease, with allopathic medicine focusing on alleviating or curing the body from states of disease
Microbiology - the study of microscopic organisms (microorganisms) and their interactions with other living things
Molecular Biology - the study of biology and biological functions at the molecular level, some cross over with biochemistry
Mycology - the study of fungi
Neurobiology - the study of the nervous system, including anatomy, physiology, even pathology
Oceanography - the study of the ocean, including ocean life, environment, geography, weather, and other aspects influencing the ocean. See Marine Biology
Ornithology - the study of birds
Paleontology - the study of fossils and sometimes geographic evidence of prehistoric life
Pathobiology or pathology - the study of diseases, and the causes, processes, nature, and development of disease
Parisitology - the study of parasites and parasitism
Pharmacology - the study and practical application of preparation, use, and effects of drugs and synthetic medicines.
Physiology - the study of the functioning of living organisms and the organs and parts of living organisms
Phytopathology - the study of plant diseases
Pre-medicine - a college major that covers the general aspects of biology as well as specific classes relevant to the study of medicine
Virology - the study of viruses and some other virus-like agents, usually considered part of microbiology or pathology
Zoology - the study of animals and animal life, including classification, physiology, development, and behavior (See also Entomology, Ethology, Herpetology, Ichthyology, Mammology, Ornithology
Scientific method refers to a body of techniques for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge.[1] To be termed scientific, a method of inquiry must be based on gathering empirical and measurable evidence subject to specific principles of reasoning.
The steps of the scientific method are to:
Ask a Question
Do Background Research
Construct a Hypothesis
Test Your Hypothesis by Doing an Experiment
Analyze Your Data and Draw a Conclusion
Communicate Your Results
