Biology, VES-ZYG
How do plants feed themselves? How did dogs evolve from wolves? What good is the appendix in humans, anyway? Such questions fall within the domain of biology, which seeks to understand living organisms and their vital processes (although the juryâs still out on what our appendixes are for). Biologyâs diverse fields include botany, ecology, evolution, genetics, medicine, physiology, and zoology.
Biology Encyclopedia Articles By Title
vesiculitis
vesiculitis, inflammation and infection of the seminal vesicles in the male reproductive tract. The seminal vesicles......
vestibular system
vestibular system, apparatus of the inner ear involved in balance. The vestibular system consists of two structures......
vestibulo-ocular reflex
vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR), eye movement that functions to stabilize gaze by countering movement of the head.......
vestibulocochlear nerve
vestibulocochlear nerve, nerve in the human ear, serving the organs of equilibrium and of hearing. It consists......
villus
villus, in anatomy any of the small, slender, vascular projections that increase the surface area of a membrane.......
viral disease
viral disease, disease caused by viruses. Long-term immunity usually follows viral childhood diseases (see chickenpox).......
virion
virion, an entire virus particle, consisting of an outer protein shell called a capsid and an inner core of nucleic......
virology
virology, branch of microbiology that deals with the study of viruses. Although diseases caused by viruses have......
virus
virus, infectious agent of small size and simple composition that can multiply only in living cells of animals,......
- Introduction
- Structure, Capsid, Genome
- Protein Capsid, Structure, Infection
- Infection, Host, Replication
- Integration, Replication, Host Cells
- Malignant Transformation
- Infection, Structure, Replication
- Latency, Infection, Replication
- Prevention, Vaccines, Hygiene
- Evolution, Strains, Mutations
- Annotated classification
visual field defect
visual field defect, a blind spot (scotoma) or blind area within the normal field of one or both eyes. In most......
Visual pigment
Visual pigment, any of a number of related substances that function in light reception by animals by transforming......
vitalism
vitalism, school of scientific thoughtâthe germ of which dates from Aristotleâthat attempts (in opposition to mechanism......
vitiligo
vitiligo, patchy loss of melanin pigment from the skin. Though the pigment-making cells of the skin, or melanocytes,......
Viviparity
Viviparity, retention and growth of the fertilized egg within the maternal body until the young animal, as a larva......
Vivisection
Vivisection, operation on a living animal for experimental rather than healing purposes; more broadly, all experimentation......
vocal cord
vocal cord, either of two folds of mucous membrane that extend across the interior cavity of the larynx and are......
vocal sac
vocal sac, the sound-resonating throat pouch of male frogs and toads (amphibians of the order Anura). Vocal sacs......
Vocalization
Vocalization, any sound produced through the action of an animalâs respiratory system and used in communication.......
Volkmann contracture
Volkmann contracture, disorder of the wrist and hand in which the hand and fingers become fixed in a characteristic......
Volvocid
Volvocid, any of a group of green algae (division Chlorophyta) that are common in fresh water. Colonies vary from......
Volvox
Volvox, genus of some 20 species of freshwater green algae (division Chlorophyta) found worldwide. Volvox form......
vomiting
vomiting, the forcible ejection of stomach contents from the mouth. Like nausea, vomiting may have a wide range......
von Willebrand disease
von Willebrand disease, inherited blood disorder characterized by a prolonged bleeding time and a deficiency of......
vulva
vulva, the external female genitalia that surround the opening to the vagina; collectively these consist of the......
vulvitis
vulvitis, inflammation and infection of the vulvaâthe external genitalia of the female. The external organs of......
Warm-bloodedness
Warm-bloodedness, in animals, the ability to maintain a relatively constant internal temperature (about 37° C [99°......
wart
wart, a well-defined growth of varying shape and size on the skin surface caused by a virus, most commonly one......
West Nile virus
West Nile virus, virus belonging to the family Flaviviridae, related to viruses that can cause yellow fever and......
What Are Gut Bacteria?
Gut bacteria are microorganisms that naturally inhabit the digestive tract. They serve critical roles in the human......
What are the five ways infectious diseases can be spread?
There are five primary ways in which infectious diseases can be spread: direct contact, contact with fomites (inanimate......
What are the shortest and longest binomial names?
First, a quick refresher on binomial names. All organisms, living or extinct, are given a name by biologists to......
What causes allergies?
Allergic reactions are caused by substances known as allergens. These substances can be found in a variety of sources......
What Causes Brain Freeze?
Brain freeze, also known as cold-stimulus headache or sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia, is a phenomenon triggered......
What Darwin Got Right (and Wrong) About Evolution
British naturalist Charles Darwin is one of the most celebrated people in the biological sciences. One of his principal......
What did Jan Ingenhousz discover about photosynthesis?
Dutch-born British physician and scientist Jan Ingenhousz discovered that light is necessary for photosynthesis.......
What Does Photosynthesis Produce?
Photosynthesis produces sugar, with oxygen gas as a by-product. The process of photosynthesis is commonly written......
What Happened to Einsteinâs Brain?
Albert Einstein, touted as one of the greatest thinkers of the 20th century, died April 18, 1955, as a result of......
What Happens to Our Bodies After We Die?
What happens to our bodies after we die isnât a mystery, even if we may want it to be. If you want to confront......
What Happens When You Swallow Gum?
Your parents may have warned you not to swallow your chewing gum because it would remain in your stomach for seven......
What Is a Superspreader Event?
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused various scientific terms to become a part of everyday vocabulary, among them the......
What Is Causing the âHornsâ on Rabbits in Colorado?
Unsettling photographs of wild cottontail rabbits near Fort Collins, Colorado, sporting hornlike or tentacle-like......
What is the difference between archaeology and paleontology?
Imagine a person who studies the past. This person travels the world, leads excavations, and carefully unearths......
What Is the Difference Between DNA and RNA?
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) are complex molecular structures that control all hereditary......
What You Need to Know About Cyclosporiasis
In July 2026 a large multistate outbreak in the United States thrust an obscure intestinal illness known as cyclosporiasis......
white blood cell
white blood cell, a cellular component of the blood that lacks hemoglobin, has a nucleus, is capable of motility,......
white nose syndrome
white nose syndrome, disease affecting hibernating bats in North America that is caused by the growth of a white......
Who Can Declare a Pandemic and What Criteria Are Required for an Outbreak to Be Called a Pandemic?
This article was originally published on March 18, 2020. The World Health Organization (WHO) is responsible for......
whooping cough
whooping cough, acute, highly communicable respiratory disease characterized in its typical form by paroxysms of......
Why are bees important?
Bees are crucial to our world for several reasons, primarily due to their role as pollinators. The approximately......
Why Are Chromosomes in Pairs?
Chromosomes occur in pairs when organisms develop from two sets of genetic information. In sexually reproducing......
Why Are Cruise Ships Prone to Outbreaks?
Cruise ships are especially vulnerable to disease outbreaks because they function as densely populated floating......
Why Are Elephantsâ Ears So Big?
An elephantâs large ears serve several purposes. Thermoregulationâan organismâs maintenance of its own body temperature......
Why are male animals more colorful?
Sexual selection, according to English naturalist Charles Darwin, is an evolutionary process that âdepends on the......
Why are plants green?
Plants are green because of a pigment found in the chloroplasts of plant cells called chlorophyll. It plays a crucial......
Why are reptiles cold-blooded?
Most reptiles are cold-blooded (ectothermic) because they rely on external sources to regulate their body temperature.......
Why Are Stem Cells Important?
Stem cells are important because they are the bodyâs raw materials for growth, repair, and renewal. Unlike most......
Why are there different blood types?
Different blood groups are the result of genetic variations that determine the presence or absence of specific......
Why do bats sleep upside down?
Bats sleep upside down because their anatomy and physiology are adapted for this position. Their legs are slender......
Why do giraffes have long necks?
The long neck of a giraffe (genus Giraffa) is a classic example of adaptation, which is the process by which a......
Why Do Horses Sleep Standing Up?
Some consider this a trick question. Thatâs because horses actually doze while on their feet and lie down for REM......
Why do humans need water?
Water makes up more than half the body weight of adult humans. That value is 75 percent for babies. As an essential......
Why Do Leaves Fall in Autumn?
In temperate regions of the world, autumn is marked by the brightly colored foliage that slowly drops from trees......
Why Do Scientific Names Have Two Parts?
Biologists have identified and described millions of species on Earth, from towering redwoods to microscopic bacteria,......
Why do snakes shed their skin?
As snakes grow, their skin does not grow with them. Instead, they periodically shed their outer layer of skin to......
Why do we age?
Aging is a complex process influenced by a combination of various factors, including genetics, our environment,......
Why do we need sleep?
We need to sleep, because it plays an important role in maintaining our overall health and well-being. Sleep gives......
Why Do We Yawn?
According to some very attentive researchers, human beings tend to yawn about eight times per day. That number......
Why Does Blood Taste Like Metal?
Blood is often described as having a metallic taste because it contains a large amount of iron, mainly within hemoglobin,......
Why Does Heat Relax Your Muscles?
Exercise is painful. As the clichĂ© goes, âNo pain, no gain.â When the body exerts itself, pumping action out of......
Why Does Your Voice Change as You Age?
Your voice changes as you become an adult and may change even further as you age. The pitch of a personâs voice......
Why Is Eating Protein Important?
There are three basic macronutrients that the body needs to survive: fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. Proteins......
Why Is Grass Green?
Grass is green because of the presence of chlorophyll throughout the leaves and stems. Chlorophyll is a pigment......
Why Is It Important to Know the Incubation Period of a Disease?
This article was originally published on March 19, 2020. Knowing the incubation period of an infectious diseaseâthe......
Why Is Sleep Important?
Sleep is a cornerstone of human health, a window of time in which the body repairs itself, memories are consolidated,......
Wilt
Wilt, common symptom of plant disease resulting from water loss in leaves and stems. Affected parts lose their......
Witchesâ-broom
Witchesâ-broom, symptom of plant disease that occurs as an abnormal brushlike cluster of dwarfed weak shoots arising......
wound
wound, a break in the continuity of any bodily tissue due to violence, where violence is understood to encompass......
xeroderma pigmentosum
xeroderma pigmentosum, rare, recessively inherited skin condition in which resistance to sunlight and other radiation......
Xg blood group system
Xg blood group system, classification of human blood based on the presence of proteins called Xg antigens on the......
yaws
yaws, contagious disease occurring in moist tropical regions throughout the world. It is caused by a spirochete,......
yeast
yeast, any of about 1,500 species of single-celled fungi, most of which are in the phylum Ascomycota, only a few......
Yellow-green algae
Yellow-green algae, (class Xanthophyceae), class of approximately 600 species of algae in the division Chromophyta,......
Yersinia
Yersinia, (genus Yersinia), any of a group of ovoid- or rod-shaped bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae. Yersinia......
yersiniosis
yersiniosis, acute gastrointestinal infection caused by the bacterium Yersinia enterocolitica and characterized......
Yt blood group system
Yt blood group system, classification of human blood based on the presence of molecules known as Yt antigens on......
Zellweger syndrome
Zellweger syndrome, congenital disorder characterized by complete absence or reduction in the number of peroxisomes......
Zika virus
Zika virus, infectious agent of the genus Flavivirus in the family Flaviviridae. Zika virus was first isolated......
Zoo
Zoo, place where wild animals and, in some instances, domesticated animals are exhibited in captivity. In such......
Zoochlorella
Zoochlorella, small green alga (often Chlorella) or, sometimes, flagellate protozoan (e.g., Tetraselmis, Carteria)......
zooflagellate
zooflagellate, any flagellate protozoan that is traditionally of the protozoan class Zoomastigophorea (sometimes......
Zoogeography
Zoogeography, the branch of the science of biogeography (q.v.) that is concerned with the geographic distribution......
Zoology
Zoology, branch of biology that studies the members of the animal kingdom and animal life in general. It includes......
zoonotic disease
zoonotic disease, any of a group of diseases that can be transmitted to humans by nonhuman vertebrate animals,......
zooplankton
zooplankton, small floating or weakly swimming organisms that drift with water currents and, with phytoplankton,......
Zooxanthella
Zooxanthella, flagellate protozoan (or alga) with yellow or brown pigments contained in chromatophores that lives......
zygote
zygote, fertilized egg cell that results from the union of a female gamete (egg, or ovum) with a male gamete (sperm).......