Introduction to Biology

The word ‘science’ brings to your mind many different pictures; a fat textbook, those white lab coats and microscopes and slides. Equation of Einstein on a chalkboard, from the rotation of fan to the cooling of pan, from falling up to down or going down to up all those image reminds you about similitude of science because there are many facet of science.

                       Actually the word Science is derived from the latin word ‘Scentia’ which means “to know”. Science is both a body of knowledge and a process that is derived from observation & experiment ,which are directed to determine the principles underlying what is being  studied.

Have you ever been wondered and were eager to know that How the oxygen that we inhale comes in air? How does a tiny seed grows up into a big fruiting tree ?How those flower and fruit came ? What are the study of these phenomenon and under which branch of science does they come.

You have heard about the term Biology and many of you know about it but do you exactly know

What is Biology?  , What is the history of biology ? , Who is the Father of Biology?  What is History of Biology in India… 

In this article ,we are going to cover all those curious questions and these topics. 

 Biology – The Science of Life and Exceptions:

It  was the year 1802, in  which two scientist named Lamarck and Treviranus used the term Biology. The term Biology derived from word bios= life and  logos=discourse/discovery or study . 

Definition:

"It is the branch of science that deals with the study of living organism, in short it is  The study of life."

The living organism interact with one another as well as their physical and chemical environment. Similarly, all the discipline of science are interconnected .Approach of studying biology has now a day become multidisciplinary and more broad based than before. Today  a new name – Life sciences  is often in place of biology to cover its wide scope of knowledge.

Study of life science involves the knowledge of other basic  sciences such as chemistry & physics. All this is  because of the facts that all living organism are made of compounds  either inorganic or organic, they are present in the living organisms. The movement of molecule , transfer of energy and its transformation.

Biology-a science  having exceptions:

You may call  it as a Science with exceptions as it deal  with all the living organism which show enormous variations and are capable of changes. Due to evolution living organism show a number of exceptions. Some important exceptions in biology are as follows:

 Mature RBC of mammals are enucleated except camel and llama (Nucleated RBC is present).

Normally, the root of plants are positively geotropic grows inside the soil but in mangrove plants (Rhizophora) negatively geotropic pneumatophores are present.

 Viruses have RNA as genetic material instead of DNA.

Normally , the reptilian heart have  3 chambered heart but reptiles like crocodiles have partly 4 chambered or incomplete 3 chambered heart.

Mammals gives birth to young ones but there are some mammals like platypus which lay eggs.

 Pouch in kangaroo for baby, parental care in animals, similarly birds who cannot fly also exist. Likewise, whole biology is filled with some marvelous creatures that are exceptions.

Scope of Biology –

Biology influences our daily life as well as our future in many aspects .The development and use of modern medicine depends on the understanding of structure and functions of cells, tissues, organs and organ-systems of the human body. Information about the life-histories of the causative agents of diseases and their relation with man are of much value for prevention and cure of many diseases. We can also develop the skills  to understand disorders in plant and animals .anatomy and Physiology  help people become aware of structure and  function plants and animals.

Biotech is the most important growing branch of bio that is dealing in our every day life.

Agriculture, soil science, fishery ,poultry, sericulture ,apiculture , forestry, botany , etc. are some branches of biology without which our life will be incomplete to  our daily requirements.

History  of  Biology in Ancient India:

In the remote past  from the beginning of human civilization, Cultivation of rice was most likely achieved in India at Mehergarh and Mahagarh about 6,000 years ago. Wild rice was originated somewhere in the coast of Bay of Bengal (Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and Bengal).

Our Vedic literature, the ved and Upanishad recorded about 740 plants and 250 animals in very past around 1500-600BC. The first attempt of classification is observed in Our Vedic literature recorded about 740 plants and 250 animals.

 The very  first attempt of classification is observed in Chandyogya Upanishad, that classified the animals into 3 categories:

1.Jivaja (Viviparous)- e.g. mammals,

2.Andaja (Oviparous)- e.g. birds, reptiles, insects and worms,  and

3. Udbhija (Vegetal origin)- e.g.  minute animals.

The Post-Vedic Indian literature, such as Susruta Samhita (600 BC) that classified all 'substances  into 2 parts:

 Sthavara (immobile)- e.g. plants

 Jangama (mobile), e.g. animals.

 Susruta Samhita also mentioned about classification of plants and animals. In plants,  they are divided into  Vanaspati,Vrksha,Virudha and Osadhi. In animals they were classified as  Kulacara (those herbivores who frequently visit the river banks. e.g. elephant, buffalo, etc.) , Matsya (fish),  Janghala (wild herbivorous , e.g. deer)and  Guhasaya (carnivorous quadrupeds like tiger, Lion, etc.)

 

Actually, Susruta  is one of the earliest scientists who studied human anatomy. He has described in detail, anatomy based on his studies on dead body. Susruta Samhita is considered as the oldest treatise on surgery. Susruta himself carried out plastic surgery of human nose (rhinoplasty). Susruta also specialised in ophthalmic surgery (extraction of cataracts). He is therefore acknowledged as the 'Father of Surgery'.

 

In Vedic time, Dhanvantari was regarded as the God of Medicine.

Then there comes the name of Charaka , Charaka was the first physician to present the concepts of digestion, metabolism and immunity. According to him, a body functions because it contains three doshas, namely, bile, phlegm (split) and wind and illness is caused when the balance among the three doshas in a human body is disturbed.

Charaka knew the fundamentals of genetics. For instance, he knew the factors determining the sex of a child. The indigenous system of medicine in India is known as Ayurveda, which is the science of living or longevity.

 

In India , there exists a great history of the biology. From the veds to modern days.As  India  has been a very rich heritage of biodiversity. India accounts about 7-8% of world’s  recorded plants (about 47,000 of which approximately 15,000 are of medicinal value) and animal species (about 91,000). There are many names such as Patanjali,Susruta , Dhanvantari ,Charaka who made the biology to the next level withoutany type of equipments aur machines. We can say, about yoga and asana which are in our habits from million  of years that could make you  healthier and much fit.

India can truly be regarded as a rich heritage or in better word  a treasure of these knowledge.

Aristotle: The Father of Biology

An exceptionally talented person , Aristotle relied on observations and contributed much in biology. About 90 percent of his writings are on scientific subjects, mostly on biological ones.

He also formulated the concept of the Scala Naturae (Great chain of beings) - a chain of progressive change in nature. This corresponds to a sort of evolution. Dealt with over 500 types of animals and dissected nearly fifty of them. Studied the developing embryo of a chick and reported that sharks give birth to live young ones (viviparous) but do not develop a placenta like mammals. Observed  the placenta in dolphins as a means of nourishment to the foetus. Based on this similarity with mammals he classified dolphins with mammals.

He even classified animal species and arranged them into hierarchies. His mode of classification was reasonable and in some cases strikingly modern.he made the first attempt to classify animal in 2 parts in his book ‘Historia Animalium’ as follows:

 Aniama: animal without red blood .eg mollusc, sponges etc.

Eaniama: animal with red blood. eg. fishes ,mammals, saves ,reptiles etc.

In short, the vast nature is interconnected with each other ,the organism are in correlation with whole nature & the branch of science viz. dealing with it is  called as Biology  & the father of biology is Aristotle. Biology is such a broad  based multidisciplinary having hundreds of branches. Branches are discussed in the next one.