LESSON 1 BIO

• Biology


  The study of life, or the science of life
• Biology deals with the origin, history, structure, function, identification, classification, distribution, development, inheritance, and significance of living things as well as their relationships and interactions with the environment
• Before proceeding with the discussion about animals and plants, a little bit of history on how science was developed will be discussed
• Andreas Vesalius


  • One of the anatomists that studied the human body, and wrote a book entitled "The Fabrica", which included illustrations of male and female anatomy, as well as diagrams of uteruses with intact fetuses
  • Considered as the Father of Modern Anatomy
• William Harvey


  • Physician who first recognized the full circulation of blood in a human body, and the nature of the heartbeat by providing sound experiments and arguments
• Marcello Malpighi


  • Italian physician and biologist widely regarded as one of the founders of microscopic anatomy, and he made crucial contributions in the fields of physiology, practical medicine and embryology
  • Discovered the aortic arches, neural folds and somites in the embryo of a chick
  • Discovered the taste sensors on the human tongue, skin layers, structure of the lungs, and fingerprints and handlines that laid a firm foundation on forensic science
• Robert Hooke


  • Discovered the cell, which is the basic unit of life
  • Published a book entitled "Micrographia" that includes sketches of different natural things under the microscope
  • First person to describe a compound eye of fly, an insect
  • Studied arthropods in great detail
  • Studied fossil molluscans and concluded that there were organisms which lived on earth earlier but are now extinct
• Anton van Leeuwenhoek


  • Invented the microscope, considered the Father of Microbiology
  • Made contributions in plant anatomy and animal reproduction
  • Discovered sperm and described the spermatozoa from mollusks, fish, amphibians, birds and mammals, coming to the novel conclusion that fertilization occurred when the spermatozoa penetrated the egg
• Theodor Schwann, Matthias Schleiden, and Rudolf Virchow

  • Proposed the Cell Theory, which states that all living things are made up of cells, cells are the basic units of structure and function in living things, and living cells come only from other living cells
• The Scientific Method


  1. Observation and Identification of the Problem

  2. Formulation of Hypothesis

  3. Experimentation or Testing the Hypothesis

  4. Analysis and Interpretation of Data and Results

  5. Generalization or Formulation of Conclusion
• Hypothesis


  A suggested explanation for an event, which can be tested
• Scientific Theory


  A generally accepted, thoroughly tested and confirmed explanation for a set of observations or phenomena
• Scientific Law


  A statement of what occurs in nature as found by observation and series of experiments to be true
• Scientific Principle


  A law of nature on which other laws are based
• Branches of Biology (according to method or aspect of study)

  • Cytology - cells
  • Histology - tissues
  • Organology - organs
  • Anatomy - dissection of body parts
  • Physiology - functions
  • Embryology - development of the embryo
  • Genetics - heredity
  • Pathology - disease
  • Ecology - interactions and relationships within an ecosystem
  • Evolution - origin of species
  • Paleontology - fossils/evidence of the past
  • Systematics - classification and phylogeny
  • Taxonomy - classification
  • Nomenclature - naming/assigning of scientific name
  • Biogeography - distribution of living things
  • Ontogeny - developmental history of an individual
  • Phylogeny - ancestral history of an individual
  • Limnology - freshwater habitats
  • Oceanography - marine water habitats
• Branches of Biology (according to type of organisms)

  • Microbiology - microorganisms
  • Bacteriology - bacteria
  • Parasitology - parasites
  • Virology - viruses
  • Protozoology - protozoans
  • Phycology - algae
  • Mycology - fungi
  • Botany (Phytology) - plants
  • Bryology - mosses
  • Zoology - animals
  • Helminthology - worms
  • Carcinology - crustaceans
  • Malacology - mollusks
  • Entomology - insects
  • Ichthyology - fishes
  • Herpetology - reptiles and amphibians
  • Ornithology - birds
  • Mammalogy - mammals
• Unifying Theories of Biology

  • Cell Theory
  • Biogenesis
  • Homeostasis
  • Evolution
  • Gene
• Cell Theory


  All living organisms are made of cells, which are the basic unit of life, and all cells come from pre-existing cells
• Biogenesis


  Life can only come from life
• Homeostasis


  The ability of an organism to maintain constant internal conditions despite environmental changes
• Organisms are composed of matter, which is anything that takes up space and has mass
• Evolution


  The process by which organisms change over time as a result of changes in heritable physical or behavioral traits, allowing the organism to better adapt to its environment
• Examples of matter


  • Rocks
  • Metals
  • Oils
  • Gases
  • Living organisms
• Element


  A substance that cannot be broken down to other substances by chemical reactions