Theories and changes in natural and social sciences

• Humans have always been curious about themselves and their surroundings.
• Theories and laws explain changes in bodies, the environment, society, and the world.
• Early explanations relied on mythology.
• Science and technology have helped to examine natural causes, disproving superstitions, although scientific, mythological, and religious perspectives still clash.
• Natural and Social Sciences are related and explain theories and changes in humans, the environment, and society.
• Collaboration between disciplines is essential to understand humanity and the world.
• Natural science's historical development includes six periods.

Periods of Natural Science

• Ancient Times (3500-3000 BCE): Ancient civilizations believed world events and human experiences were products of mythological and religious revelations.
• Scholars trace the period as crucial to mankind, observing animal behaviors and discovering plants' medicinal and nutritional properties.
• Aristotelian Natural Philosophy (400 BCE-1100 CE): Aristotle focused on the physical and natural world, becoming known as the Father of Biology. Works included astronomy, meteorology, zoology, and physics.
• His works served as references during the Ancient Roman, Byzantine Empires, and Abbasid Caliphates and inspired Galileo Galilei.
• Medieval Natural Philosophy (1100-1600 CE): The Catholic Church dominated knowledge of natural philosophy, with theologians opposing natural science due to heresy concerns.
• Natural science was equated to magic and occult practices during the Middle Ages. Theologians like Thomas Aquinas and Albertus Magnus viewed natural philosophy from a theological basis for dogma and scriptures.
• Newton and the Scientific Revolution (1600-1800 CE): Aristotelian natural philosophy was challenged, and the Protestant Reformation initiated scientific inquiry.
• It marked the scientific revolution, with natural philosophers providing different perspectives and methodologies.
• The scientific method rose in prominence as experiments and hypotheses were essential; logic and mathematics were used to analyze cause and effect.
• Sir Isaac Newton, an English mathematician and physicist, became known for his Law of Gravitational Force and Laws of Motion.
• 19th-century Developments (1800-1900 CE): Natural philosophy was officially named natural science
• Natural science institutions and more professionals emerged in the field with William Whewell inventing the term "scientist" in 1834.
• Modern Natural Science (1900-present): Natural science continues to advance, using inventions, discoveries, and experimentation for societal improvement.
• It has expanded into new branches, including mechanics, electrodynamics, and thermodynamics.
• It is divided into life sciences like botany and zoology, and physical sciences, including physics, chemistry, astronomy, and Earth sciences.

Branches of Natural Sciences

• Natural Science has two main branches: Life Sciences (Biological Sciences) and Physical Sciences.
• Life Science studies life and organisms like microorganisms, plants, animals, and humans. Sub-branches include anatomy, biology, botany, genetics, and zoology.
• Physical Science studies non-living systems, including astronomy, chemistry, Earth Science, and Physics.

Sub-Branches of Life Science

• Anatomy: Derives from the Greek "anatome" (dissection) and studies the structural organization of living things. Anatomists study anatomy.
• Biology: From the Greek “bios” (life) and "logos" (study); it studies living organisms, including behavior and development. Biologists study biology.
• Botany: From the Greek “botane” (pasture, grass, or plant); it studies different plant species and botanists study botany.
• Genetics: Studies genes, genetic variation, and heredity and how traits pass from parents to offspring through genetic units (genes).
• Zoology: Derives from the Greek "zoion" (animal) and "logos" (study); it studies the animal kingdom, including animal structure, evolution, classification, distribution, and ecosystem interactions. Zoologists study zoology.

Branches of Physical Science

• Astronomy: Studies celestial objects (stars, galaxies, planets, moons, asteroids, comets, and nebulae), physics, chemistry, and evolution of objects, and phenomena outside Earth's atmosphere, like supernovae explosions, gamma-ray bursts, and cosmic microwave background radiation.
• Chemistry: Studies the composition, structure, properties, and changes of matter.
• Earth Science: Studies how the natural environment (ecosphere or Earth system) functions and evolves, including the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere. Physics: Studies matter and motion through space and time, with related concepts like energy and force, and generally analyzes how the universe works.