"Biological" redirects here. For other uses, see Biological (disambiguation).
Biology is the scientific study of life.[1][2][3] It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field.[1][2][3] For instance, all living organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary information encoded in genes, which can be transmitted to future generations. Another major theme is evolution, which explains the unity and diversity of life.[1][2][3] Finally, all living organisms require energy to move, grow, and reproduce, as well as to regulate their own internal environment.[1][2][3][4][5]
Biology deals with the study of life and organisms.
top: E. coli bacteria and gazelle
bottom: Goliath beetle and tree fern
Biologists are able to study life at multiple levels of organization.[1] From the molecular biology of a cell to the anatomy and physiology of plants and animals, and to the evolution of populations.[1][6] Thus, there are multiple subdisciplines within biology, each defined by the nature of their research questions and the tools that they used.[7][8][9] Like other scientists, biologists use the scientific method to make observations, pose questions, generate hypotheses, and perform experiments to satisfy their curiosity about the world around them.[1]
Life on Earth, which emerged before 3.7 billion years ago,[10] is immensely diverse. Biologists have sought to study and classify the various forms of life, from prokaryotic organisms such as archaea and bacteria to eukaryotic organisms such as protists, fungi, plants, and animals. These various living organisms contribute to the biodiversity of an ecosystem, where they play specialized roles in the exchange of energy and nutrients.
