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Biology studies all living organisms and has many branches that focus on specific topics or organisms. It can be studied at different levels, from molecules to entire ecosystems. Some branches solve problems, such as conservation biology, while others are theoretical, like astrobiology.
Biology is an extremely broad subject because it is defined as the study of all living organisms. Branches of biology typically focus on a single topic or problem that can be usefully grouped together, such as the study of fish or the development of embryos. It is possible to study the same topic within different areas of biology, albeit from different perspectives. Some commonly known types of biology include ecology, genetics, and biochemistry. There are many minor branches of biology, and people proposing to include certain topics as branches need to consider whether this isolation is useful from a practical point of view.
Some of the more common branches of biology deal with one type of living organism and tend to consider all aspects of that organism, including cellular, physical, and evolutionary development. For example, mycology is the biological study of fungi and ichthyology is the study of fish. Broader branches of biology include zoology, the study of animals and botany, the study of plants.
It is also possible to look at biology in terms of what level of the organism is studied. For example, anatomy is the study of broad fitness, cell biology is the study of cells, and molecular biology is the study of biology at the level of molecules. Within organisms it is possible to observe specific biological systems, as in the case of neurobiology.
Biology often looks at processes rather than states, as is the case in evolutionary biology. Sometimes, biological studies are primarily theoretical, which is true of astrobiology, the study of life on other planets and throughout the universe. Biology can also be used to study organisms that no longer exist using physical remains. Ethology, the study of animal behavior, does not look at the physical form of an organism but at its instincts and activities. Sociobiology likewise studies sociological behaviors from a biological position.
In some cases, branches of biology work to solve existing problems rather than describe how the world works. This is certainly the case of biomechanics, which has as its primary focus the integration of man with prosthetic devices, and of agriculture, which studies the ways in which man can cultivate plants. Conservation biology is unique because it attempts to overcome the question of how to preserve the Earth’s current state for as long as possible, which is a uniquely human concern. From these examples it is clear that humans often use branches of biology not only to talk about the world but also to attempt to solve problems such as serious diseases, the extinction of various species, and even moral concerns about living organisms.
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