Introduction to Biology

Definition and Scope

• Biology is the scientific study of life and living organisms
• It encompasses the structure, function, growth, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy of all living things

Branches of Biology

• Botany: study of plants
• Zoology: study of animals
• Microbiology: study of microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses
• Ecology: study of the interactions between organisms and their environment
• Biochemistry: study of the chemical processes that occur within living organisms
• Molecular Biology: study of the structure and function of biological molecules such as DNA and proteins
• Genetics: study of heredity and variation
• Evolutionary Biology: study of the evolution of species over time

Levels of Organization

• Molecule: basic building blocks of life (e.g. DNA, proteins, carbohydrates)
• Cell: basic structural and functional unit of life
• Tissue: group of similar cells that perform a specific function
• Organ: structure composed of two or more types of tissues that perform a specific function
• Organ System: group of organs that work together to perform a specific function
• Organism: individual living thing (e.g. plant, animal, fungus)
• Population: group of organisms of the same species that live in a specific area
• Community: group of different species that live in a specific area
• Ecosystem: community of organisms and their environment
• Biosphere: all of the ecosystems on Earth

Biological Processes

• Photosynthesis: process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy
• Respiration: process by which cells convert glucose into energy
• Mitosis: process of cell division that results in two identical daughter cells
• Meiosis: process of cell division that results in four non-identical daughter cells (gametes)
• Homeostasis: ability of an organism to maintain a stable internal environment despite changes in the external environment

Biological Molecules

• Carbohydrates: energy-rich molecules (e.g. sugars, starches)
• Proteins: molecules composed of amino acids that perform a variety of functions (e.g. enzymes, hormones, structural components)
• Nucleic Acids: molecules that contain genetic information (e.g. DNA, RNA)
• Lipids: molecules that perform a variety of functions (e.g. energy storage, cell membrane structure)
• ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate): molecule that provides energy for cellular processes

Definition and Scope of Biology

• Biology is the scientific study of life and living organisms, covering their structure, function, growth, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy.

Branches of Biology

• Botany studies plants, while Zoology focuses on animals.
• Microbiology explores microorganisms like bacteria and viruses.
• Ecology examines the interactions between organisms and their environment.
• Biochemistry delves into the chemical processes within living organisms.
• Molecular Biology investigates the structure and function of biological molecules like DNA and proteins.
• Genetics explores heredity and variation, while Evolutionary Biology examines the evolution of species over time.

Levels of Organization

• Molecules, such as DNA and proteins, are the basic building blocks of life.
• Cells are the basic structural and functional units of life.
• Tissues consist of groups of similar cells performing specific functions.
• Organs are composed of two or more types of tissues performing specific functions.
• Organ Systems comprise groups of organs working together to perform specific functions.
• Organisms are individual living things, such as plants, animals, or fungi.
• Populations consist of groups of organisms of the same species living in a specific area.
• Communities comprise groups of different species living in a specific area.
• Ecosystems consist of communities of organisms and their environment.
• The Biosphere encompasses all ecosystems on Earth.

Biological Processes

• Photosynthesis is the process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy.
• Respiration is the process by which cells convert glucose into energy.
• Mitosis is the process of cell division resulting in two identical daughter cells.
• Meiosis is the process of cell division resulting in four non-identical daughter cells (gametes).
• Homeostasis is the ability of an organism to maintain a stable internal environment despite external changes.

Biological Molecules

• Carbohydrates are energy-rich molecules, such as sugars and starches.
• Proteins are composed of amino acids and perform various functions, including enzymes, hormones, and structural components.
• Nucleic Acids, like DNA and RNA, contain genetic information.
• Lipids perform various functions, including energy storage and cell membrane structure.
• ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) provides energy for cellular processes.

History of Google

• Founded in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, initially named "Backrub" and later renamed to Google, inspired by the word "googol"
• First office was set up in a friend's garage in Menlo Park, California

Products and Services

• Search Engine: allows users to search the internet for information
• Advertising: Google AdWords platform for businesses to create and display ads
• Email: Gmail, a free, web-based email service
• Cloud Storage: Google Drive, a cloud-based storage service
• Productivity Suite: Google Workspace (formerly G Suite), includes Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides
• Android: an open-source mobile operating system
• YouTube: a video-sharing platform acquired by Google in 2006
• Maps: a mapping service providing directions, street views, and location-based information

Key Features and Innovations

• PageRank Algorithm: a link analysis algorithm used to rank websites in search results
• Google Instant: provides instant search results as users type
• Autocomplete: predicts and completes search queries
• Knowledge Graph: a knowledge base that provides information about entities, people, and places

Acquisitions and Milestones

• Acquired YouTube in 2006, Waze in 2013, and Nest in 2014
• Reached 1 billion active users in 2012, launched Google+ in 2011