Biology is the study of living organisms, from the smallest bacteria to giant sequoias. Biologists use observation and experimentation to gain an understanding about the natural world. Branches of biology include anatomy, biotechnology, botany, cell biology, ecology, genetics, medicine, microbiology, molecular biology, and zoology.
As a course, biology encompasses four main themes:
- The process of evolution drives the diversity of life
- Biological systems utilize free energy to grow, reproduce, and maintain life functions
- Living systems store and transmit information essential to life processes
- Biological systems interact with each other, and those interactions possess complex properties
