Introduction to Biology

CHAPTER 2: THE HISTORY OF BIOLOGY

GAS11 & HUMSS 11
 What is Biology?

• The study of life

• The science of living things

 Origins of word “biology”

• Biology (Greek or Latin origin)

• Bios = life
• Logos = study of
 Characteristics of Life
1. Cellular composition 6. Metabolism
2. Growth 7. Specific organization
3. Reproduction 8. Homeostasis
4. Movement 9. Responsiveness
5. Adaptation
 Cellular Composition
• Made up of at least one cell

• Unicellular - made of one cell (bacteria,

amoeba, paramecium)

• Multicellular - made up of two or more

cells (plants, fungi, animals)
 Growth

• Increase in cell size (unicellular) and/or an

increase in cell number (multicellular)
 Reproduction

• Asexual- cell division (mitosis)—one cell

becomes two Ex: bacteria

• Sexual- union of sex cells (sperm and egg)

Ex: plants and animals
 Movement
• 3 types:

A. Place to Place- (ex: bear running, bird

flying, etc)
B. External Part- (ex: + phototropism,
plants orient leaves toward sun)
C. Internal- (ex: cytoplasmic streaming)
 Adaptation
• Changing to meet the needs of the
environment

Examples:
1. Bird migration- behavioral adaptation
 Adaptation (continued)
2. Human body temperature- Physiological
adaptation

3. Hibernation- physiological adaptation

4. Hare ear length (desert vs. arctic hares)-

structural adaptation
 Metabolism

• Set of chemical reactions that convert

“food” into energy
 Specific Organization

• Certain parts do specific jobs (ex: heart,

nucleus, chloroplasts, etc)
 Homeostasis
• Maintaining the same state
Homeo = same, steady
Stasis = state
Examples:
-Water balance inside and outside of cell
-Human body temperature
*Cells function best when these are in
balance
 Responsiveness
• Reaction(s) to various stimuli

Examples of stimuli: light, heat, pH,

vibration, smell, etc.– earthworms respond
to all of these
 Biology is a Unified Science
• Biology + Chemistry + Physics= Science

Why do arctic hares turn white in winter?

1. Arctic winter conditions
 Kirkoff’s Laws
• White: Good reflector (reflects light and
heat)
Poor radiator (heat is lost slowly)

• Black: Good absorber (absorbs light and

heat)
Good radiator (heat is lost quickly)
 Branches of Biology
1. Zoology- the study of animals

2. Ichthyology- the study of fish

Why Important? Fish are indicator
species. Alert humans to potential
environmental problems
3. Mammalogy- study of mammals (NASA)

4. Ornithology- the study of birds

Why important? DDT(insecticide used in
‘50s and ’60s) Birds of prey #s declined

bioaccumulation- the build up of chemicals

or toxins in living things
5. Botany- the study of plants
Why important? Food production,
medicines

6. Microbiology- study of small life

Why important?
Medicines, bioterrorism
7. Anatomy- study of an organism’s parts

8. Physiology- study of how organism’s

parts work
Why important? Health professions,
veterinarians
9. Entomology- study of insects
Why important? West Nile virus, Yellow
fever– carried by mosquitoes

10. Genetics- study of heredity and genetic

material (DNA/RNA, chromosomes,
genes)
Why important? Cloning, research,
solving crime
11. Ecology- study of all life in a particular
area, the relationships b/t those life forms
and the environment
Why important? AMD, Overpopulation
Ozone Depletion/Greenhouse Effect
Rainforest Destruction
Pollution- other states pay to dump
garbage in PA
12. Cell Biology- the study of cells

Why Important?
Need to know about cells to learn more
about whole organisms
 Biology As A Science
Science Perspectives (3)

1. Teacher- organized body of knowledge

-based on facts (some theories)
-accuracy and precision important
2. Student- + or – (some like, others don’t)

3. Man or Person on the Street- science

has no value
-no application to everyday life
(uninformed view)
 Scientific Attitudes
• Apply to science and everyday life

1. Careful Judgment

Life examples
A. Drugs/Alcohol
B. Driving
C. Firearms
D. Sex/STDs
 Scientific Attitudes
2. Desire to Learn
*Based on interest*

Life Examples
A. Hunting/Fishing
B. Sports
 Scientific Attitudes
3. Cause and Effect- **when cause and
effect is not understood, superstitious
beliefs replace scientific ideas

Science examples
A. Galileo- sun-centered universe vs. earth-
centered universe theory
B. Peace Corps – vitamin A shots
C. Spontaneous Generation- non-living
materials turn into living things
Example: mud fish
Life examples
A. Smoking/Chewing
B. Tanning Beds
 Scientific Attitudes
4. Concern for Human Welfare

Life examples
A. Fire/Police depts.
B. Clergy
C. Teachers
D. Scouts
E. Americorps
 Biology Pioneers
1. Aristotle
-Greek (1st bio. teacher)
“Father of Biology and
Zoology”
 More on Aristotle
• Supported spontaneous generation
theory
• Created a theory of the elements
4 elements:
A. Earth B. Air
C. Water D. Fire
-1st person to start classifying organisms
 2. Hippocrates
• Greek
• “Father of Medicine”
• Hippocratic Oath for
doctors (part of his
life-long legacy)
 3. Leeuwenhoek
• Dutch
• His hobby was lens
grinding
** He did NOT invent
the microscope, he
perfected microscope
lenses
• He was the first person to see:
A. Bacteria
B. Protozoans
C. Red blood cells
D. Sperm cells
-He did NOT support spontaneous
generation
 4. Lister
• British
• Hospital conditions
were dirty & infectious
• Used phenol as a
disinfectant
• “Father of Aseptic
Surgery”
 5. Fleming
• British
• Accidentally
discovered first
antibiotic (penicillin)
6. Salk and 7. Sabin
 Salk and Sabin
• Developed 1st polio • Developed oral polio
vaccine injection vaccine (1959)
(1955)
• Didn’t patent vaccine, • Vaccines are
didn’t want to profit weakened forms of
from his discovery disease that tricks
body into making
antibodies
 Methods Used in Science
1. Technical Method (Cookbook Approach)

-Materials are given

-Directions are logical and lead to a known
conclusion

Ex: Water boils at what temperature F?

 Technical method (continued)
Directions:
1. Water in beaker
2. Heat until boiling
3. Use thermometer to measure temp.
2. Scientific (Research) Method

-No materials given

-No directions
-Unknown conclusion
4 Basic Steps of Scientific Method
1. Observation
2. Hypothesis- educated guess that tries to
explain observation
3. Test or experiment
4. Conclusion (match=finished; no match=
start over again)
 Goldenrod Lab
• Female insects deposit fertilized eggs
along goldenrod stem early in growing
season. Eggs develop into larva and the
plant responds by forming galls. Galls are
really tumors.
• Galls are plant’s response to foreign
bodies invading it.
• Benefits to insect: