Introduction to Biology History

Biology: The Study of Life

• Biology is the study of life and living things.
• The term "biology" comes from the Greek words "bio" meaning life and "ologos" meaning to study.

Key Figures in Biology

• Aristotle: Greek philosopher, first to classify living things as air, land, or water dwellers, and known as the Father of Biology.
• Galen: Greek physician, first to dissect apes and pigs, and known as the Father of Anatomy.
• Andreas Vesalius: Made the first dissection on human anatomy and discovered Comparative Anatomy.
• William Harvey: Showed conclusively that the heart pumps blood and the blood circulates.
• Marcello Malphigi: Italian physician and anatomist, founder of microscopic anatomy.
• Anton Van Leeuwenhoek: First to use a microscope, discovered microorganisms such as protozoans called animalcules.
• Charles Darwin: Wrote the book "On the Origin of Species By Means of Natural Selection".

Branches of Biology

• Botany: The study of plants.
• Zoology: The study of animals.
• Dendrology: The study of trees and their history.
• Mycology: The study of fungi and some association with plants.
• Paleobotany: The study of fossil plants.
• Agriculture: The study of the principles of botany in growing food plants.
• Pomology: The study of cultivating fruits.
• Phytopathology: The study of diseases of plants.

Additional Branches of Biology

• Arachnology: The study of a single class of invertebrate (scorpions, spiders, etc.).
• Conchology: The study of mollusks.
• Embryology: The study of the development of animal forms.
• Entomology: The study of insects.
• Herpetology: The study of reptiles.
• Mammalogy: The study of mammals.
• Ornithology: The study of birds.
• Ichthyology: The study of fish.

Other Areas of Biology

• Anatomy: The study of the structures of entire organisms and their parts.
• Physiology: The study of how the body and its parts work.
• Ecology: The study of how organisms interact with their environment and with other organisms.
• Parasitology: The study of the organisms that live in or on other organisms that cause diseases.
• Taxonomy: The study of the classification and evolutionary interrelationships among organisms.
• Cytology: The study of the structures and functions of cells.
• Microbiology: The study of microorganisms such as bacteria, protozoans, and viruses.
• Paleontology: The study of fossils, the preserved remains and traces of organisms from the past.
• Genetics: The study of how traits are inherited and passed on from one generation to the next.
• Morphology: The study of the gross structures and forms of organisms.
• Histology: The study of tissues.

Explore the key figures and milestones in the history of biology with this quiz. From Aristotle to William Harvey, test your knowledge on the origins and development of biology as a science.