Biological Facts: Definition, History, Concepts, Branches, & Facts

Biology is the branch of science concerned with studying life, living organisms, their environment, and interactions between biotic and abiotic elements. It gives insight, from the level of the smallest microorganism to the largest ecosystems, into how life thrives on Earth-from human anatomy to the biology of plants and the process of evolution.

Biological Facts

Biology is the subject that explains life around us. There are several animals and plants in the living world, from microscopic organisms to giant Mammoths. The human body is also a treasure trove of academic knowledge and ideas. Did you know, for example, that human lungs can float in water? Or is it the fact that the liver has amazing regenerative abilities? You can learn all these interesting biology facts and expand your knowledge.

Most of the functions of our body seem completely uninteresting, but these same functions and roles in other organisms open our eyes. Because most of them are really charming and touching. The tallest vertical jump ever created by man was just over 7 feet tall. This is irrelevant when looking at other organisms in the animal kingdom. For example, a flea can jump up to 150 times its own height. Scaled this to our scale, it looks like someone jumping over 800 feet, almost double the height of an Egyptian pyramid.

Given below are the 10 interesting facts about biology and why it is considered one of the most important sciences.

Fact 1. Biology Is the Basics of Life Sciences

Biology is the backbone of the study of life sciences. Anatomy, biotechnology, ecology, genetics, microbiology, zoology, and even psychology are fields developed from a solid foundation in the principles of biology. This understanding helps to decode the basic building blocks of life- from simple cell structures to complex and intricate mechanisms and genetic codes contained in living things.

Fact 2. Microorganisms play a major role in ecosystems.

Although minute, microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses are very important in ecosystems. They take part in organic decomposition, nutrient cycling, and plant nutrition through nitrogen fixation in the soil. Besides that, some microbes live symbiotically within human and animal hosts, where they often provide important services related to digestion and immunity, thus pointing out their critical role in maintaining the process of life on Earth.

Read more about:

• Structures in Bacteria

• Viruses

• Bacterial Viruses

Fact 3. Biology Explains Human Anatomy and Physiology

A large part of biology is devoted to human anatomy and physiology, the study of the structure and function of parts of the body, starting from cells and tissues and leading on to organs and systems such as the nervous, circulatory, and muscular. Learning biology introduces one to the way the body works and how it interacts with the environment.

Read more about:

Fact 4. Biology Explains Evolution and Natural Selection

Biology helps in understanding the process by which living things, through adaptation, have evolved. The theory of natural selection by Charles Darwin is one of the basis of modern biology, explaining how genetic variations among populations lead to the survival of organisms best adapted to the environment. This is important in understanding biodiversity and the emergence of new species.

Read more about:

• Darwin's Contribution: The Theory of Evolution

• Mendelian Genetics

• Mendel's Laws of Inheritance

• Mendel's Law of Independent Assortment

Fact 5. The Place of Biology in Modern Science and Medicine

Without biology, many advances made today in medicine, agriculture, and technology would not be possible. Certain key discoveries related to genetics, immunology, and biotechnology have helped in treatments, vaccinations, and food production that keep humankind alive. In turn, other areas of biology have enabled new disciplines like bioinformatics and genetic engineering that help one to understand the human genome and its diseases.

Read more about:

• Vaccination

• Immunology

• Pedigree Analysis Family Genetics

Fact 6. Biology Reveals the Balance of Nature

The importance of studying biology allows the understanding of how life is supported within nature. From photosynthesis in plants to food chains and ecosystems, biology explains how everything in nature is related. Knowledge and information gained from this are important to address environmental challenges like climate change and loss of species.

Read more about:

• Energy Flow in Ecosystem

• Ecological Pyramids

• Productivity In Ecosystem

Fact 7. Knowledge of Living and Non-Living Entities

However, biology emphasizes more on living organisms and their interactions with non-living factors, like water, air, and mineral components. It explains the body structure, cell types, organs, tissues, and even non-living parts of the environment, such as soil and climatic conditions in the ecosystem.

• Biotic and Abiotic Components of the Ecosystem

• Major Abiotic Factors

• Biotic Factors

Fact 8. Biology Answers Essential Questions of Life and Metabolism

Biology deals with some of the fundamental questions in our lives, like: What is life? How do living organisms grow and reproduce? How are humans different from the plant and animal kingdoms? It goes a long way in explaining such phenomena as respiration, metabolism, and reproduction, hence explaining such questions as why we breathe and eat, and how various species adapt to environments.

Also Read:

• Difference Between Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration

• Difference between Movement and Locomotion

• Major Difference Between Sexual and Asexual Reproduction

• Difference Between DNA and RNA

• Difference Between Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Replication

Fact 9. Biology is at the Core of Multidisciplinary Research

Biology has many fields of study that overlap with other disciplines of research, including biochemistry, pharmacology, environmental science, and even biotechnology. Biologists and those across disciplines collaborate on solving critical global issues: outbreaks of diseases, security of food, and environmental degradation.

Also Read:

• Application Of Biotechnology In Medicine

• Biotechnology In Agriculture

• Biological Agents

• DNA Fingerprinting

Fact 10.The Genetic Blueprint of Life: DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid, DNA is a molecule containing the genetic instructions in all forms. DNA was discovered in the 1950s and it carries the code for every biological function right from cell division to heredity.

Read more about:

• DNA

• Types of DNA

• Salient Features of Double Helix Structure of DNA

• DNA as Genetic Material Hershey And Chase Experiment

Why Is Biology Important?

Biology is an important aspect of science that sheds light on how all the living organisms that are part of this world work. Their interactions, evolution and adaptation are carefully studied so that students can learn how things work. This is a very productive topic because it is very relevant and interesting at the same time. The practical tasks that are part of biology are also very sensible and fun. Biology always opens the way for further study of a particular subject, allowing progress to be made in these fields. Form various professions such as doctor, engineer, ecologist, chemist, scientist and more.

5 Interesting Biology Facts

Biology is, first and foremost, the science of life and organisms, explaining complex mechanisms that dominate all living things. Here are five interesting facts about Biology to illustrate the wonder of this discipline:

Facts About Biology Cells

• Cells are the primary unit of all organisms.

• The body contains around 37.2 trillion cells that perform various functions.

• Some organisms contain only one cell. Others, such as animals, contain many cells.

• Cells have organelles that comprise the nucleus, mitochondria, and ribosomes, among others, on which life processes occur.

• Cells were discovered by Robert Hooke in 1665, marking the start of modern biology evolution.

Facts About Biology Animals

• Animals are multicellular, heterotrophic organisms and depend on other living organisms for food.

• They range from microscopic animals such as tardigrades to the largest animals, the blue whale.

• Animals can broadly be categorized as vertebrates those that contain backbones and invertebrates which do not have backbones.

• Animal behavior, which entails communication, mating, and migration among many more is another area of study that falls under zoology.

• Many animals have developed ways of survival in extreme environments. Examples include deserts to the deep oceans.

Facts About Biology Life

• Life emerged on Earth approximately 3.5 billion years ago as very simple microorganisms.

• All organisms have some things in common: metabolism, reproduction, growth, and adaptation.

• Life operates at levels of molecules, cells, organisms, populations, and ecosystems.

• The theory of evolution and natural selection provides an explanation for all living varieties.

• Life literacy can be used to find solutions in relation to environmental challenges such as climate change or species extinction.

Facts About Marine Biology

• Marine biology is the study of life in oceans, which cover about 70% of the Earth's surface.

• Oceans harbour an incredible number of species, ranging from plankton to large mammals like whales.

• Corals, like those under marine biology, are biodiversity hotspots that support 25% of marine life.

• Marine biologists investigate how human activities, like pollution and overfishing, impact ocean ecosystems.

• Indeed, the deepest part of the ocean is very little explored, containing thousands of as yet unknown species and ecosystems.

Facts About Biology Major

A major in biology includes training in all the following:

• Genetics, ecology, anatomy, and biochemistry,

• Life processes at the molecular, cellular, organismal, and ecosystem level.

• A degree in biology prepares students for careers in health care, research, environmental science, and education.

• Biology majors include laboratory work, field studies, and internships to give students working experience.

• Primarily, biology graduates pursue advanced studies in specializations, such as marine biology, microbiology, and biotechnology.