Tag: Life science

The human body is composed of approximately 60% water, and without it, survival is impossible for more than a few days. Water's profound importance extends far beyond simple hydration, underpinning all known biological processes and sustaining ecosystems globally.

First developed in Sweden in the 1970s as a nutritional tool, a food pyramid in life science can refer to two distinct concepts: a dietary guide for humans or a graphical representation of energy flow in an ecosystem. This visual model helps in understanding fundamental biological principles, from individual dietary health to the complex energy dynamics of an entire ecosystem.

The vast majority of plants, representing the foundational level of nearly all terrestrial food webs, have an autotrophic mode of nutrition. This means they produce their own food from inorganic substances rather than consuming other organisms. The primary process for this self-nourishment is photosynthesis, an essential process for life on Earth.

Scientists have categorized billions of organisms into two basic nutritional groups: those that produce their own food and those that don't. What do all living things need to eat therefore varies dramatically, but the fundamental requirement for energy and building blocks is universal.

Over 70% of the Earth's surface is covered by water, a seemingly simple compound with an outsized role in the biological world. We explore why is water needed for life to survive, uncovering the unique chemical and physical properties that make it the indispensable matrix for all known living organisms on Earth.

Over 96% of a human body's mass is composed of just four essential elements: oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen. The meaning of essential elements goes beyond this, encompassing any component that is necessary for the proper function, growth, or completion of a life cycle in an organism or system.

Every living organism, from microscopic bacteria to colossal blue whales, requires a constant supply of energy and building materials to survive and reproduce. This fundamental requirement is met through the process of nutrition, a cornerstone of biological science that explores how organisms acquire and process vital nutrients from their environment.