History of biology

This work surveys the expansion of biological knowledge from antiquity's observational lore through the early-modern revival of botany and zoology, charting the rise of classification, comparative anatomy, and experimental physiology. It highlights the influence of global exploration, improvements in microscopy, and the development of cell theory, while examining shifting views on fossils, life cycles, and adaptations. Later sections treat the formulation of evolutionary ideas and the experimental study of microbes. The material is arranged chronologically into successive periods and is supported by bibliographic and illustrative aids.