Biology as a science of

life
Andrea Tapia García
What is biology?
 Biology: "bios" (life) and "logos" (study).
 Study of the structure, function, growth, origin, evolution
and distribution of living organisms.
What is a living organism?

 Complex structure
 Movement
 Respiration
 Sensitivity
 Growth
 Reproduction
 Excretion
 Nutrition
Characteristics of science
 Objectivity
 Verifiability
 Systematic exploration
 Predictability
 Modifiable
Scientific method

 Ask a question
 Investigate about the topic
 Propose an hypothesis
 Design and perform an experiment
 Analyze the results of your experiment
 Accept or reject your hypothesis
Framework of understanding

 Cell theory
 Energy
 Heredity
 Equilibrium: homeostasis
 Evolution
Fields of biology
Divisions of biology
Anatomy
study of the structure of organisms and their parts.

Biochemistry
Chemical and physiochemical processes
that occur within living organisms.
 Cell Biology
study of cell structure and function, and it revolves around
the concept that the cell is the fundamental unit of life.
 Ecology
relations of organisms to one another and to their physical
surroundings.
 Evolution
process by which different kinds of living organisms are
thought to have developed and diversified from earlier forms
during the history of the earth.
 Microbiology
study of microscopic organisms, those being unicellular,
multicellular, or acellular.
 Molecular Biology
the structure and function of the proteins and nucleic acids.
 Mycology
Mycology is the scientific study of fungi.
 Physiology
normal functions of living organisms and their parts.
More branches…
 Ethology: animal behavior
 Virology: virus
 Histology: Tissue
 Embryology: fertilization and zygote
 Paleontology: Fossils
 Taxonomy: Identification
 Bacteriology: bacteria
 Phycology: study of algae
Biology with other sciences

 Chemistry: chemical reactions

 Physics: transpiration, conduction of water
 Mathematics: Census, statistics
 History: events affecting organisms
 Geography: distribution
 Ethic: biotechnologies
 Informatics: Interpretation
Levels of organization of living matter
 Structure

Irritability Metabolism

Characteristics
of living
organisms
Adaptation Homeostasis

Growth Reproduction
Biology advances
 1. RNA Interference Discovered: 1998 revealed that gene expression is
controlled by a phenomenon called RNA interference. This process
defends against viruses that try to insert themselves into DNA, and
controls gene expression.
 2. Dolly the Sheep Becomes the First Adult Mammal Cloned:
1996 scientists cloned a female domestic sheep using adult somatic
cells from the mammary glands. This can lead to an attempt to save
endangered and newly extinct species by resurrecting them from
frozen tissue.
 3. Human Genome Mapped: (2003) The Human Genome
Project reveals in intricate detail exactly what it is that makes us
human, showing the placement of every chromosome that contains all
the genetic material that makes us who we are.
Biology advances

 4. Stem Cells Created from Mature Skin Cells: (2007) This new process of
creating induced pluripotent stem cells from mature cells changed the
“programming” of the cells telling them to become skin in favor of acting like
embryonic stem cells that could end up being virtually any kind of cell.
 5. Robotic Limbs Fully Controlled by the Brain: In 2014, the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration approved the first prosthesis controlled by neural signals
from the wearer’s brain for use by the general public.