Branches of science

Further information: Branches of science

The scale of the Universe mapped to branches of science and showing how one system is built atop the
next through the hierarchy of the sciences

Modern science is commonly divided into three major branches: natural science, social science, and
formal science.[19] Each of these branches comprises various specialized yet overlapping scientific
disciplines that often possess their own nomenclature and expertise.[109] Both natural and social sciences
are empirical sciences,[110] as their knowledge is based on empirical observations and is capable of being
tested for its validity by other researchers working under the same conditions.[111]

There are also closely related disciplines that use science, such as engineering and medicine, which are
sometimes described as applied sciences. The relationships between the branches of science are
summarized by the following table.

Science
Empirical sciences
Formal science
Natural science Social science
Physics, chemistry, biology, Anthropology, economics, political
Logic, mathematics,
Basic earth science, and space science, human geography, psychology,
and statistics
science and sociology
Engineering, agricultural Business administration, public policy,
Applied science, medicine, and marketing, law, pedagogy, and Computer science
materials science international development