Cells are the subunits of organisms, the units of life.
Some organisms consist of a single cells, others are multicellular aggregates of specialized cells.
Whether multicellular or unicellular, all organisms must accomplish the same functions: uptake and processing of nutrients, excretion of wastes, response to environmental stimuli, and reproduction, among others.
Multicellular organisms exhibit three major structural levels above the cell: similar cells are grouped into tissues, several tissues coordinate to form organs, and several organs form an organ system.
For example, to coordinate locomotory movements, sensory information travels from sense organs to the brain, where nervous tissues composed of billions of interconnected neurons, supported by connective tissue, coordinate signals that travel via other neurons to the individual muscle cells.
Based on these experiments, Reznick and Endler concluded that natural selection due to differential predation on larger versus smaller guppies is the most likely explanation for the observed differences in life history characteristics.
Because pike-cichlids prey preferentially on mature adults, guppies that mature at a young age and smaller size will be more likely to reproduce at least one brood before reaching the size preferred by the predator.
The controlled experiments documented evolution under natural settings in only 11 years.
This study reinforces the important point that scientific hypotheses must be testable .
Science as a whole is embedded in the culture of its times.
For example, recent increases in the proportion of women in biology have had an impact on the research being performed.
For instance, this has been accompanied by a switch in focus in studies of the mating behavior of animals from competition among males for access to females to the role that females play in choosing mates.
For example, recent research has revealed that females prefer bright coloration that “advertises” a male’s vigorous health, a behavior that enhances the probability of having healthy offspring.
In some ways, biology is the most demanding of all sciences, partly because living systems are so complex and partly because biology is an multidisciplinary science that requires a knowledge of chemistry, physics, and mathematics.
Biology is also the science most connected to the humanities and social sciences.
The complexity of life is inspiring, but it can be overwhelming.