Biology — The Study of Life — Foundations and Diversity + 5 more topics

Biology is a vast field, but it starts with understanding the fundamental properties that define life itself. We also need a way to organize and categorize the incredible variety of living organisms.

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You'll find that all living organisms are made of cells. Despite their tiny size, cells are incredibly complex and carry out all the necessary functions for life.

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At the heart of it all is DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid). DNA is a long, twisted ladder structure that contains all the genetic instructions for an organism. These instructions are broken down into units called genes. Each gene is a specific segment of DNA that codes for a particular trait or characteristic.

Genes are organized onto structures called chromosomes. Humans typically have 46 chromosomes, arranged in 23 pairs. You get one chromosome from each pair from your mother and one from your father. This is why you inherit traits from both parents.

Ecology explores the relationships between organisms and their environment at various levels:

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Your body has several main systems, each with unique roles. You can't understand one system completely without knowing how it interacts with others. Let's break down some of the most important ones.

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Evolution is the process by which populations of organisms change over generations. It's driven primarily by natural selection, a mechanism where individuals with traits better suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. These advantageous traits are then passed on, becoming more common in the population over time.