This book explores the fascinating world of biology - the study of all life, from tiny bacteria to plants, animals and entire ecosystems. Discover how living things behave and interact, and the amazing ways they adapt to the world around them. Find out how life on Earth began, how it has changed, and what living things might look like in millennia to come. Take a closer look at cells - the building blocks of life itself - and the vital role they play.
Through a mix of diagrams, infographics, comic strips and clear, engaging text, this book shows readers what the study of biology is about, how much it covers, and why YOU might want to study it further yourself. It investigates some of the big issues that biologists are grappling with today, from preventing the spread of ever-evolving diseases to saving animals and plants from extinction.
Chapters in this book include: - What is biology? - Life and death - The meaning of life
Life on Earth What different forms does life take, and can we make sense of the sheer variety of it all? How did life begin in the first place?
Cells and DNA Find out all about cells - the tiny building blocks that are part of EVERY living thing. What is DNA, the chemical at the heart of cells?
Evolution Evolution is all about how living things change, very gradually. How does it work? Why do some creatures survive, while others die out? And how did anyone manage to hit upon and test out this grand idea?
The human body There's one kind of living thing that biologists are more interested in than any other. It's us - human beings. What are we made of? How do our bodies work? And what's so special about our brains?
Ecology Ecology is the part of biology that studies how living things grow and change together as a group. This can mean studying small, local habitats, or it can mean looking at how life all over the world is affected by changes, such as deforestation or warming seas.
Microorganisms The very smallest living things - known as microorganisms - are some of the most fascinating. Find out about the bacteria and fungi that play a role in the cycle of life and death, help plants talk to each other, and make all sorts of things from food to medicine.
Disease All living things can get sick. Often, the cause is another living thing. Find out where diseases come from, how they spread, how they actually make you sick, and how to stop them.
Big questions There are endless questions about life that people want answers to. Some of the answers depend on clever experiments and in-depth research. Others come only from debate. For example, if it was possible to live forever, would you even want to?
Biology all round Jobs in biology
Muu info
A guide to everything that biology is about, from things we know, to things we don't know yet.
Chapters in this book include:
- What is biology?
- Life and death
- The meaning of life
Life on Earth
What different forms does life take, and can we make sense of the sheer
variety of it all? How did life begin in the first place?
Cells and DNA
Find out all about cells - the tiny building blocks that are part of EVERY
living thing. What is DNA, the chemical at the heart of cells?
Evolution
Evolution is all about how living things change, very gradually. How does it
work? Why do some creatures survive, while others die out? And how did anyone
manage to hit upon and test out this grand idea?
The human body
There's one kind of living thing that biologists are more interested in than
any other. It's us - human beings. What are we made of? How do our bodies
work? And what's so special about our brains?
Ecology
Ecology is the part of biology that studies how living things grow and change
together as a group. This can mean studying small, local habitats, or it can
mean looking at how life all over the world is affected by changes, such as
deforestation or warming seas.
Microorganisms
The very smallest living things - known as microorganisms - are some of the
most fascinating. Find out about the bacteria and fungi that play a role in
the cycle of life and death, help plants talk to each other, and make all
sorts of things from food to medicine.
Disease
All living things can get sick. Often, the cause is another living thing.
Find out where diseases come from, how they spread, how they actually make
you sick, and how to stop them.
Big questions
There are endless questions about life that people want answers to. Some of
the answers depend on clever experiments and in-depth research. Others come
only from debate. For example, if it was possible to live forever, would you
even want to?
Biology all round
Jobs in biology
Minna Lacey (Author) Since joining Usborne, Minna has written books on everything from pirates and gladiators to jungles and oceans. She studied Maths and Philosophy at university and previously worked as a journalist and illustrator in London, Bogota and New York. In her spare time, she loves writing stories, drawing and playing the guitar.
Lizzie Cope (Author) Lizzie grew up in Wiltshire, not far from Stonehenge - she has this to thank for her love of nature, legends and World Heritage sites. Now she lives in London, where she's written books about giraffes, oceans and plastic, and thought up lots of ideas for puzzles and activities, too.
