HUMAN AND SOCIAL BIOLOGY

INTRODUCTION
Human and social biology is a scientific subject that deals with dual concepts: human biology and society which
are inextricably connected. Human biology emphasizes the study of anatomy, including its organs, and systems,
and the body's role in ensuring survival and preservation of the human species. At the same time, humans
(classified by scientists as belonging to the animal kingdom) are social beings who relate with one another and live
in communities, and whose biology is so linked with social functions, behaviors, and dispositions that it is
impossible to ignore. Hence, the compounded subject, human and social biology, is studied.
CHARACTERISTICS OF LIFE
Biology, bio (life) and logy (study), is the study of all living things. It draws on other natural sciences such as
physics and chemistry, to better understand the functions and reactions of these living things. The environment is
also an important factor as it often affects the lives of these living things.
All living things (organisms) have seven characteristics in common. They all:
1. Reproduce- produce an offspring (organism of its own kind)
2. Feed/need nutrients- make their own food (plants), or consume readymade food as a source of energy
3. Respire- release energy from food with the aid/use of oxygen
4. Grow- increase in size by getting taller or wider
5. Excrete- get rid of unwanted substances
6. Move- plants move parts of themselves while animals often move from place to place
7. Sensitive- plants and animals react to changes in the environment.