BIOLOGY, SOCIETY,
and YOU
Biology affects five (5) areas of life: food, clothing, shelter,
health, and fuel.
You can’t live more than 3 months without food. Food gives you energy to carry out all your
activities. All foods are made directly from
living things, or indirectly from the products of organisms. The science of biology helps improve both the
quality and quantity of food available to people all over the world.
Clothing plays an important role in people’s lives, from comfort to
fashion. The true function of clothing,
however, is protection from the environment. Most
clothing is made from biological products. Wool,
silk, and leather come from animal products. Some
synthetic fabrics, such as polyester and nylon, are made from petroleum. Petroleum itself is a biological product.
v Shelter
Like clothing, shelter protects organisms from the changing conditions of
the environment.
Medical science has enabled people to conquer a huge number of illnesses. The discovery and production of medicines has
changed many diseases from fatal illnesses into minor inconveniences. But the role of biology in health goes beyond the
treatment of illnesses. Healthful community
practices of water treatment, garbage disposal, and food handling can prevent many kinds
of human suffering.
Manu fuels are made from the remains or the products of organisms. For example, wood comes from plants and coal comes
from the fossilized remains of plants. Petroleum
products, such as oil and gasoline, are made from the decayed remains of tiny marine
organisms that lived millions of years ago. Together,
petroleum and coal are referred to as fossil fuels.
Exactly what life is and how it starts is one of the most difficult problems in science. There is no simple statement that can be used to define life. The only sure way to define life is to describe its characteristics.
ü All organisms are composed of cells.
ü Living things are highly organized.
ü All organisms respond to the
environment.
ü All organisms use energy for growth and
maintenance.
ü All organisms reproduce. Reproduction is necessary for the survival of a
species.
ü All organisms grow and develop.
ü Species of organisms adapt to their
environments through evolution.
Molecular Level-The simplest parts of a living system are the
atoms and molecules of which an organism is made.
Cellular Level-The cell is the smallest unit of life capable of
carrying out all the functions of living things.
Tissue Level-A group of cells that performs a specific function in
an organism is a tissue.
Organ Level-Several types of tissues that function together
for a specific purpose make up an organ.
Organ system Level-An organ system is made of several organs
working together to perform a function.
Population Level-A group of organisms of the same species
that live together in a particular location is a population.
Community Level-A community includes all the populations of
different kinds of organisms living in the same place.
Ecosystem Level-An ecosystem includes the community of organisms in
an area, as well as the nonliving factors of the environment.