LIFE SCIENCE INTRODUCTION The life sciences comprise fields of science involving the study of living organisms such as plants, animals and humans. While biology remains the centerpiece of the life sciences, technological advances in molecular biology and biotechnology have led to a burgeoning of specializations and new interdisciplinary fields. FOUR TYPES OF LIFE SCIENCE Basic life science branches Biology – scientific study of life. Anatomy – study of form and function, in plants, animals, and other organisms, or specifically in humans. Astrobiology – the study of the formation and presence of life in the universe. Bacteriology – study of bacteria. What are life sciences? The life sciences are made up of the sciences that study living things. Biology, zoology, botany, and ecology are all life sciences, for example. These sciences continue to make new discoveries about the animals, plants, and fungi we share a planet with. FIVE EXAMPLES OF LIFE SCIENCE There are many disciplines included in the life sciences, however, such as anthropology, ecology, entomology, botany, zoology, microbiology, physiology, biotechnology, evolutionary biology, genetics, human anatomy, marine biology, molecular and cell biology, neuroscience, paleontology, plant biology, and biochemistry. USES OF LIFE SCIENCE Studying the life sciences will provide you with a foundation of scientific knowledge and ways of exploring the world. The life sciences pervade so many aspects of our lives – from health care, to the environment, to debates about stem cell research and genetic testing. FIVE MAIN TOPICS IN LIFE SCIENCE There are five life science topics in high school, (1) Structure and Function, (2) Inheritance and Variation of Traits, (3) Matter and Energy in Organisms and Ecosystems, (4) Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems, and (5) Natural Selection and Evolution. LIST OF LIFE SCIENCES This list of life sciences comprises the branches of science that involve the scientific study of life – such as microorganisms, plants, and animals, including human beings. This science is one of the two major branches of natural science, the other being physical science, which is concerned with non-living matter. Biology is the overall natural science that studies life, with the other life sciences as its sub-disciplines. Some life sciences focus on a specific type of organism. For example, zoology is the study of animals, while botany is the study of plants. Other life sciences focus on aspects common to all or many life forms, such as anatomy and genetics. Some focus on the microscale (e.g. molecular, biology, biochemistry). Other on larger scales (e.g. cytology, immunology, ethology, pharmacy, ecology). Another major branch of life sciences involves understanding the mind – neuroscience. Life sciences discoveries are helpful in improving the quality and standard of life and have applications in health, agriculture, medicine, and the pharmaceutical and food science industries. For example, it has provided information on certain diseases, which has overall aided in the understanding of human health. Applied life science branches and derived concepts. Agriculture - science, art and practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Bio computer – systems of biologically derived molecules, such as DNA and proteins, are used to perform computational calculations involving storing, retrieving, and processing data. The development of biological computing has been made possible by the expanding new science of nanobiotechnology. Biocontrol – method of controlling pests (including insects, mites, weeds and plant diseases) using other living organisms.
WHAT IS LIFE SCIENCE ?
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