Biology

This guide will introduce you to a variety of topics within the field of Biology and assist you in locating useful library and online sources for academic research at Bristol Community College.

The reference text, Biology, defines this field as the "study of life". The term life refers to all organisms (plants, animals, bacteria, fungi, and protists) inhabiting Earth and its atmosphere. Both scientists and laypeople are drawn to biology because it seeks to answer the question of how life began. All of the acquired evidence points to a single origin for all living things. Contemporary emphasis in biology is often in biotechnology, the use of organisms to create products. This field opens unimaginable possibilities for the diagnosis and treatment of hereditary diseases, production of drugs, and advancement of agriculture. At the same time, these prospects will challenge scientists with serious ethical considerations in the years to come, as the use of biotechnology requires scientists to manipulate the course of evolution.

Source: Ballen, Karen Gunnison. "Biology." Biology. Ed. Richard Robinson. Vol. 1. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2002. 76-77. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 16 Oct. 2015.

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