Home›Browse by Discipline›Disciplines›BiologyDisciplinesBiologyAlso Known As BioCitation FormatsGeneral ReferenceGeneral Reference Citation TextScience Atlas. "Biology." Accessed August 30, 2026. https://science.interactiveatlas.org/disciplines/biology.Copy General ReferenceAPA StyleAPA Style Citation TextScience Atlas. (n.d.). Biology. Retrieved August 30, 2026, from https://science.interactiveatlas.org/disciplines/biologyCopy APA StyleBibTeXBibTeX Citation Text@misc{scienceatlas-biology, author = {Science Atlas}, title = {Biology}, year = {2026}, url = {https://science.interactiveatlas.org/disciplines/biology}, note = {Accessed August 30, 2026} }Copy BibTeXReference and ClassificationVerifiedBiology is the branch of science that studies living organisms and their vital processes, spanning molecular, cellular, organismal, and population levels of life.FactsCross-Tradition ConnectionsSourcesComments (0)Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)FactsFounded YearWell-attested1802 1The term biology came into wide use around 1802, after Jean-Baptiste Lamarck adopted it; the study of living things itself is far older, so this dates the modern discipline's name rather than its origin.Central QuestionWell-attestedWhat are the shared mechanisms and history that unite the diversity of life, from its molecular basis to its evolutionary history? 2ScopeWell-attestedBiology is the scientific study of life and living organisms, encompassing the structure, function, growth, origin, evolution and distribution of life across scales from molecules to ecosystems. 2SignificanceWell-attestedThe term biology was introduced independently by several scholars around 1800. The field later gained two great unifying frameworks: Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection, and, a century after that, James Watson and Francis Crick's 1953 description of the DNA double helix, which gave biology a molecular foundation tying together subfields from genetics and cell biology to ecology and evolutionary biology. 2Cross-Tradition ConnectionsEncompassesBiochemistry, Disciplines Well-attested Source Emil Fischer (Britannica)tier 1Botany, Disciplines Well-attested Source Botany (Britannica)tier 1Ecology, Disciplines Well-attested Source Ecology (Wikipedia)tier 3Genetics, Disciplines Well-attested Source William Bateson Coins the Term Geneticstier 2Immunology, Disciplines Well-attested Source Edward Jenner (Britannica)tier 1Microbiology, Disciplines Well-attested Source Microbiology (Britannica)tier 1Molecular Biology, Disciplines Well-attested Source Molecular Biology (Wikipedia)tier 3Mycology, Disciplines Well-attested Source Mycology (Wikipedia)tier 2Neuroscience, Disciplines Well-attested Source Camillo Golgi (Britannica)tier 1Paleontology, Disciplines Well-attested Source Georges Cuvier (Britannica)tier 1Virology, Disciplines Well-attested Zoology, Disciplines Well-attested Source Zoology (Britannica)tier 1Founded ByJean-Baptiste Lamarck, Scientists Well-attested Source Jean-Baptiste Lamarck (Britannica)tier 1Has ScientistCharles Darwin, Scientists Well-attested Source Charles Darwin (Britannica)tier 1Niles Eldredge, Scientists Well-attested Richard Dawkins, Scientists Well-attested Stephen Jay Gould, Scientists Well-attested Theodosius Dobzhansky, Scientists Well-attested Has TheoryGene-Centred View of Evolution, Theories Well-attested Germ Theory of Disease, Theories Well-attested Source Louis Pasteur: Spontaneous Generation (Britannica)tier 2Lamarckian Inheritance, Theories Well-attested Modern Synthesis, Theories Well-attested Natural Selection, Theories Well-attested Source Charles Darwin (Britannica)tier 1Punctuated Equilibrium, Theories Well-attested UsesCentrifuge, Instruments Well-attested Source Centrifuge (Britannica)tier 1Electron Microscope, Instruments Well-attested Source Transmission Electron Microscopy (Wikipedia)tier 3Microscope, Instruments Well-attested Source Microscope (Britannica)tier 1Sources1. Jean-Baptiste Lamarck (Britannica)tier 1Encyclopaedia BritannicaView the Source2. Biology (Wikipedia)tier 2WikipediaLead sectionQuote, Lead sectionBiology is the scientific study of life and living organisms. It is a broad natural science that encompasses a wide range of fields and unifying principles that explain the structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, and distribution of life.View the SourceLouis Pasteur: Spontaneous Generation (Britannica)tier 2Encyclopaedia BritannicaHas Theory: Germ Theory of DiseaseView the SourceCharles Darwin (Britannica)tier 1Encyclopaedia BritannicaHas Theory: Natural SelectionView the SourceCharles Darwin (Britannica)tier 1Encyclopaedia BritannicaHas Scientist: Charles DarwinView the SourceCentrifuge (Britannica)tier 1Encyclopaedia BritannicaUses: CentrifugeView the SourceTransmission Electron Microscopy (Wikipedia)tier 3WikipediaUses: Electron MicroscopeView the SourceMicroscope (Britannica)tier 1Encyclopaedia BritannicaUses: MicroscopeView the SourceEmil Fischer (Britannica)tier 1Encyclopaedia BritannicaEncompasses: BiochemistryView the SourceCamillo Golgi (Britannica)tier 1Encyclopaedia BritannicaEncompasses: NeuroscienceView the SourceMicrobiology (Britannica)tier 1Encyclopaedia BritannicaEncompasses: MicrobiologyView the SourceEdward Jenner (Britannica)tier 1Encyclopaedia BritannicaEncompasses: ImmunologyView the SourceBotany (Britannica)tier 1Encyclopaedia BritannicaEncompasses: BotanyView the SourceZoology (Britannica)tier 1Encyclopaedia BritannicaEncompasses: ZoologyView the SourceEcology (Wikipedia)tier 3WikipediaEncompasses: EcologyView the SourceWilliam Bateson Coins the Term Geneticstier 2HistoryofInformation.com (Jeremy Norman & Co.)Encompasses: GeneticsView the SourceGeorges Cuvier (Britannica)tier 1Encyclopaedia BritannicaEncompasses: PaleontologyView the SourceMycology (Wikipedia)tier 2WikipediaEncompasses: Mycology, Lead sectionView the SourceMolecular Biology (Wikipedia)tier 3WikipediaEncompasses: Molecular Biology, Lead sectionQuote, Encompasses: Molecular Biology, Lead sectionMolecular biology is a branch of biology that seeks to understand the molecular structures and chemical processes that are the basis of biological activity within and between cells.View the SourceComments (0)No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.Sign in to join the discussion.Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.View At A Past YearThe atlas records no dated fact of its own for this entry, so there is no other year to choose.Show This Year