This book is designed for students who want to learn about and appreciate basic biological topics while studying the smallest units of biology: molecules and cells. Molecular and cellular biology is a dynamic discipline. There are thousands of opportunities within the medical, pharmaceutical, agricultural, and industrial fields. In addition to preparing you for a diversity of career paths, understanding molecular and cell biology will help you make sound decisions that can benefit your diet and health.
Genre: SCIENCE / Life Sciences / Molecular BiologyIt is selling very well on Amazon and other retail outlets.
Preface
What is Biology?
Biology is the scientific study of life. While this subject is broad and encompassing, there are a few fundamental facets of biology.
Figure 0.1: Definition of Biology
Biology is a broad topic that includes the study of life. Its field of study is vast, but there are a few unifying themes. All organisms consist of cells, and their cells process hereditary information encoded in genes. This information is passed on from generation to generation. Here's a quick overview of biology. We'll learn about the origins of the field, the nature of life, and how we study the subject.
The study of biology can help explain how organisms are arranged, how they grow, and how they survive. Plants and animals are the foundations of life, and they evolve at different scales. At the smallest scale, life consists of molecules and chemical processes that set the conditions for all living processes. From there, these molecules are organized into cells, tissues, organs, and bodies. These organs, in turn, are grouped together to form organisms, which ultimately comprise the body. Finally, scientists divide biology into various scales, including populations and ecosystems.
Origin of the Term
The word ‘biology’ comes from the Greek words ‘bios’ and ‘logia’, which both mean life. The term is often abbreviated to ‘biol’, meaning biological science. Biological science focuses on a variety of subjects, from the structures of cells to the chemical processes within them. From this, biologists study the processes that create organisms, as well as the evolution of species. Biological science also encompasses the study of genetics and the relationships between different types of organisms.
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Portuguese
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Already translated.
Translated by Alexandro Tiago Marçal de Sousa
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Spanish
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Already translated.
Translated by Clorinda Manonelles
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