Astrobiology is the study the evolution of life in the universe, including the search for extraterrestrial life, according to NASA. Get exclusive access to content from our 1768 First Edition with your subscription. Shapes Different Careers. Microbiologists, for instance, may study bacterial cultures in a laboratory setting. The title is no exaggeration, folks, biology truly is the study of life, and it doesn’t matter whether the living thing is big and tall or too small to even see with the naked eye, if it’s living then we’ll be looking at it when we start studying life from a scientific standpoint with biology. Biology is the study of everything that is, or was once, alive — whether it's a plant, animal or microorganism. The study of the... See full answer below. But how important is biology to our everyday routines, exactly? Molecular biology is the study of biology at a molecular level. Tap card to see definition . Although biology is a mandatory class, it doesn't have to be a painful one to study for and get through. Furthermore, since the action of any organism is determined by the manner in which its cells interact and since all cells interact in much the same way, the basic functioning of all organisms is also similar. You will receive a verification email shortly. Biology concerns all life forms, from the very small algae to the very large elephant. Biology - Biology - The study of the origin of life: If a species can develop only from a preexisting species, then how did life originate? Live Science is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. The Study of Life. … Click again to see term . Related: Plant photos: Amazing botanical shots by Karl Blossfeldt. 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). Biologists study structure, function, growth, evolution, distribution, identification and taxonomy. bacteria, or several cells e.g. Ecology: The study of how organisms interact with their environment. You’re about to … In general, biologists study the structure, function, growth, origin, evolution and distribution of living organisms. We’re living organisms and we eat living organisms, so you could probably guess that it has something to tell use about what’s going on all around – and inside – us. The scope of the field is extensive and is divided into several specialized disciplines, such as anatomy, physiology, ethology, genetics, and many more. The subject of biology is divided into many separate fields, such as behavior, human anatomy, botany, physiology, zoology, ecology and genetics. Updated March 03, 2020 Cell biology is the subdiscipline of biology that studies the basic unit of life, the cell. The field deals with all the physicochemical aspects of life. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Biology is the natural science that focuses on the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, development, interactions, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology - Biology - The history of biology: There are moments in the history of all sciences when remarkable progress is made in relatively short periods of time. Whenever a change in a gene (a mutation) occurs, there is a change of some kind in the organism that contains the gene. Professor of Biology. Many biologists may work in the lab and in the field — for example, scientists may collect soil or water samples from the field and analyze them further in the  lab, like at, Healthcare: People who study biology can go on to work in healthcare, whether they work as doctors or nurses, join a pharmaceutical company to develop new drugs and vaccines, research the efficacy of medical treatments or become veterinarians to help treat sick animals, according to the, Conservation: Biologists can help with efforts in environmental conservation by studying and determining how to protect and conserve the natural world for the future. Thank you for signing up to Live Science. Included at that level are studies of the roles that specific kinds of plants and animals play in the complex and self-perpetuating interrelationships that exist between the living and the nonliving world, as well as studies of the built-in controls that maintain those relationships naturally. 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