Overview
The study of biology has both basic aspects (systematized acquisition of knowledge on living things and their environments) and applied aspects (the use of acquired knowledge to benefit human beings). The applied aspects of biology have vast practical applications in agriculture, industries, medicine, biotechnology, genetic engineering, environmental protection and biodiversity conservation management. Biological issues are at the heart of the daily life and survival of humans irrespective of differences in culture, geographical location, wealth and levels of advancement. Biological principles are practiced ranging from primitive societies that use crude ways of getting food and other survival requirements from the immediate environment through hunting and gathering to the most advanced societies that use cutting edge technologies to solve problems that challenge the survival and well being of mankind. Research in climate change, bio fuel production, rapid propagation of crops, gene therapy and cloning are examples of the latter category.