The Greatest Contributors to Biology – Introduction to fundamental concepts of Biological Science including the organization and common characteristics of living matters, cell structures and functions, food production by photosynthesis, harvesting energy, mechanism of cells reproduction, genetics, evolutions, and Human Biology. Introduction to general chemistry including basic concepts about matter, atomic structure, chemical bonds, gases, liquid, and solids, solutions, chemical reactions, acid, bases, and salt;
organic and biochemistry including hydrocarbons and their derivatives, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals, nucleic acids; principles of physics and applications to nursing including gravity and mechanics, pressure, heat and electricity; nuclear chemistry and nuclear physics, effects of radiation on human beings, and protection and disposal. The aim of the course is to acquire knowledge and skills in general biological science, general chemistry and physics.
The Greatest Contributors to Biology
The field of biology has seen many important discoveries throughout the centuries. From vaccines to theories of the beginning and progression of life on Earth, the many discoveries have improved not only our understanding of history but also our quality of living. The following is a list of the greatest biologists of all time, along with their most significant contributions to the scientific world.
Aristotle (384-322 B.C)
Ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle, is often not considered when it comes to great biological discoveries but his work on the classification of living things was revolutionary at the time. Referred to as the ‘Ladder of Life’, Aristotle’s classification system was still in use up until the 19th century – that’s a long time. Aristotle was the first to person to recognize the relationships between species and organize accordingly.
Aristotle is regarded to as the Father of Biology
Figure: Aristotle
Theophrastus (370-285 B.C.)
Little amount of works of the Greek philosopher Theophrastus is known to us. Of those available, nine volumes of “On the History of Plants” and six volumes of “On the causes of plants” are important. Theophrastus was the pupil of great philosopher Aristotle. He divided the plant community into four groups. For example: Trees shrubs, Undershrub’s and Herbs. He is regarded as the Father of Botany.
Galen (129-161 AD)
The life work of Greek physician, Galen, revolutionized the way in which medical research was and is conducted. Galen had a major influence on the development of many fields of medicine including anatomy, pathology, physiology and neurology. Notable discoveries include the identification of the differences between veins and arteries, and recognizing that the larynx generates voice. Much of his hypotheses had scientific errors but his work in pioneering the field of medical research is undeniable.
Figure: Galen
Al Biruni (973-1048)
Known as a world famous scientist and educationist. Al Biruni was an Arabian citizen. His real name is Abu Raihan Mohammad Ibne Ahmed Al Biruni. He made contributions in different branches of science. He visited India during the reign of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni and described the conditions prevailing in India in an attractive way.
Figure: Al Biruni
Ibne Sina (980-1037)
He was a renowned Muslim philosopher and scientist. He had excellent skill in Chemistry, Medicine, Mathematics, Astronomy and Literature. His full name is Abu Ali Hussain Ibne Abdullah Ibne Sina. He composed more than hundred books on different subjects. Sixteen of which were written on Medicine. He had a fourteen volume compositions named Al- Kanun’ on Medicine.
Figure: Ibne Sina
Al Nafis
He was an Arabian scientist. He first (300 years before William Harvey) described correctly the system of blood circulation in human body. He was also a successful physician. His actual name was Abu Al Hasan Ali Ibne Al Nafis, He dedicated himself in the field of science for a long time, and died in Damascus at the age of eighty.
Figure: Al Nafis
William Harvey (1578-1657)
William Harvey was a British scientist. He rediscovered the system of blood circulation in 1628 and as a result some of the previous ideas about it came to an end. In 1651 he pointed out that life starts from the egg cell. He is considered to be the father of Animal Physiology. He clearly described the systems of blood circulation and excretion in animals, and explained the relationship between the two processes. He published a book “On the motion of the heart and blood in animals”.
Carolus Linnaeus (1707-1778)
A botanist, physician and zoologist all at the same time, Linnaeus came up with the system of naming, ranking, and classifying organisms that we still use today. It was his vast collection of specimens of plants, animals, and shells that lead to Linnaeus’ coming up with a way of grouping and naming species.
He separated all living things into 3 kingdoms; animals, plants and minerals, subdividing them into classes, then into orders and then finally into genura and species. You’ve heard of Homo sapiens right? Homo is the genus and sapiens the species as you can see still very much in use today.
Figure: Carolus Linnaeus
Charles Robert Darwin (1809-1882)
English naturalist Darwin introduced the Theory of Natural Selection. He expressed his findings and ideas in his famous research publication, “Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection” in the year 1859, after observing the living communities of Galapagos Islands.
Figure: Charles Robert Darwin
Alfred Russel Wallace (1823-1913)
Another famous naturalist on the list and another one who came up with the theory of evolution. In fact it was Wallace’s independent synthesis of evolution by natural selection that lead to Darwin hurrying up and publishing his On the Origin of Species. Fortunately Wallace was an accomplished scientist and his discoveries didn’t end there. Wallace noted the distinction of fauna between Asia and Australia, drawing a line between – now known as the Wallace Line.
Figure: Alfred Russel Wallace
Anthony Von Leenwenhoek (1632-1723)
Leeuwenhoek is well known for his contributions to microscopy, and how he applied this to the field of biology. He revolutionized a technique for creating powerful lenses, which some speculate were able to magnify up to 500 times. Leeuwenhoek used the microscopes to find out more about the living world his discoveries include bacteria, the vacuole of the cell, and the banded pattern of muscle fibers.
Figure: Anthony Von leenwenhoek
Gregor Johann Mendel (1822-1884)
Mendel’s extraordinary contribution didn’t receive its just recognition until long after the friar’s death – you could call him the Van Gogh of the biological world. Mendel used peas to discover and demonstrate the laws of genetic inheritance, coining the terms dominant and recessive genes in the process. The laws were rediscovered at the turn of the 20th century and provided the mechanism by which Darwin’s theory of natural selection can occur. The two theories combine to form our current understanding of the evolutionary process.
Alexander Fleming (1881-1955)
Alexander Fleming was a Microbiologists He observed in 1918 that some bacterial growth stops in a culture media where Penicaillium is grown. He tried to find out the reason behind it. From his quest and research he subsequently discovered the drug penicillin that has saved millions of lives. He won Nobel Prize along with two other winners in the year 1945.
James Watson and Francis
Francis Crick and James Watson shot to fame in 1962 for their discovery of the structure of DNA, winning the medical Nobel Prize in the process. Their model of DNA (double helix) explains how DNA replicates and how hereditary info is coded and passed on. The discovery of structure has led to a much more developed understanding of function used in disease diagnosis and treatment, forensics, etc.
Biological Science: List of Inventions and Discoveries
In contemporary world there have been undergone tremendous expansions of Biological Sciences such as Cell Biology, Neuroscience and Evolutionary Biology through the advancement of various inventions and discoveries that not only improved the quality of living but also increases life expectancy.
Inventions and Discoveries of Biological Science are as follows:
| Scientist | Contribution |
| Gregor Johann Mendel | a) Father of genetics b) Conducted experiments for the first time to understand the pattern of inheritance and variation. |
| Reginald C Punnett | Punnett square |
| Galton | Polygenic inheritance |
| De vries, Correns, Von Tschermark | Independently rediscovered Mendel’s work |
| Walter Sutton and Theodore Boveri | Chromosomal theory of inheritance |
| Thomas Hunt Morgan (and his colleagues) | a) Experimental verification of chromosomal theory of inheritance. b) Linkage and Recombination. |
| Alferd Sturtvant | Chromosomes maps or linkage maps |
| Henking | X-Body (Chromosome) |
| Friederich Miesher | Nuclein |
| James Waston and Francis Crick | Proposed the structure of double helix model for the DNA; Semi conservative mode of DNA replication |
| Erwin charagaff | Chargaff Rule: A+T/G+C=1 |
| Francis Crick | Central dogma in molecular Biology; tRNA as adapter molecule |
| Frederick Grieffith | Transforming principle; carried out a series of experiments with streptococcus pneumonia. |
| Oswald Avery, Colin Macleod and Maclyin Mc carty | Determined the biochemical nature of transforming principle. |
| Alferd Hershy and Martha Chase | The unequivocal proof that DNA is the genetic material |
| Matthew Meselon and Franklin Stahl | Experimented to prove DNA replicates semi- conservatively |
| George Gamaw | Genetic codon should be made up of 3 nucleotides |
| Hargovind Khuarana | Developed a chemical method for the synthesis of RNA molecule with defined base combination |
| Marshall Nirenberg | Put forward a cell free system for protein synthesis that help in deciphering the code |
| Severo Ochoa | Showed the polynucleotide phosphate also helped in polymerizing RNA with define sequence in a template in depend manners |
| Francois Jacob and Jacque Monado | Transitionally regulated system – lac operon |
| Frederick Sanger | a) developed method for determination of amino acid sequences in protein. b) Developed a principle the automated DNA sequences worked on |
| A.I Oparin and John Haldane | Proposed that the first form of life could have come from pre-existing non-living organic molecules (e.g. RNA, protein, etc.) and that formation of life was preceded by chemical evolution. |
| Louis Pasteur | Disapproved Theory of Spontaneous Generation. Experimentally demonstrated that life comes only from pre-existing life. |
| S L Miller | Miller’s experiment on the origin of life. He revealed that life originated from the nonliving components |
| Charles Darwin | Father of Evolution Concept of natural selection Concept of reproductive fitness Darwin finches – adaptive radiation |
| Alfred Wallace | Worked in Malay Archipelago and had a similar opinion as that of Mendel on the concept of reproductive fitness and natural selection. |
| Lamark | Evolution due to use and disuse of organs |
| Thomas Mathus | Proposed Malthusian theory of population – this theory states that population growth will always tend to out run the food supply. This theory is thought to influence Darwin. |
| William Harvey | Discovered of blood circulation |
| Hugo de Vries | Developed mutation theory – saltation |
| G. H. Hardy and Wilhelm Weinberg | Hardy-Weinberg principle – genetic equilibrium in a population |
| Norman E Borlaug | He improved methods of cultivation and developed a robust strain of wheat. Semi-dwarf wheat. |
| Alexander Fleming | Discovery of first antibiotics- Penicillin |
| Ernest Chain and Howard Florey | Established the full potential of penicillin as an antibiotics. |
| Stanley Cohen and Herbert Boyer | Construction of the first recombinant DNA |
| Gause | Provided competitive Exclusion principle: two closely related species competing for the same resources cannot coexist indefinitely and the competitively inferior one will be eliminated eventually |
| Mac Arthur | Resource partitioning: Showed that five closely related species of warblers living on the same tree were able to ayoid competition and co-exist due to behavioral differences in their foraging activities |
| Edward Wilson | Coined biodiversity to describe the combined diversity at all the levels of biological organization |
| Robert Constanza | He used Ito put price tags on nature’s life support services |
| Robert May | Made a more conservative and scientifically sound and estimate which places the global species diversity at about 7 million. |
| Alexander von Humboldt | Observed that within a region species richness increased with increasing explored area, but only upto a limit |
| David Tilman | His long-term ecosystem experiments states that plots with more species showed less year-to-year variation in total biomass |
| Paul Ehrlich | Provided the ‘rivet popper hypothesis’ to show how quality of life is affected with reduction in organism. |
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