Vesalius, Andreas - Biology Encyclopedia

Andreas Vesalius was the founder of modern human anatomy. Before his time, medical illustrations served more to decorate a page than to teach human structure.

Veterinarian - Biology Encyclopedia

Becoming a veterinarian is a challenging yet rewarding process. A veterinarian is someone who has earned a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or a Veterinary Medical Doctor (VMD) degree from an accredited college or university.

Viral Diseases - Biology Encyclopedia

In order to understand viral infections, one must understand a little about how a virus functions. All viruses are obligate parasites; that is, they depend on a "host" to survive and reproduce.

Virus - Biology Encyclopedia

Viruses are not cells and are metabolically inert outside of living cells. They can infect organisms consisting of just one cell, such as a single bacterial cell, or the individual cells of multicellular organisms such as humans.

Vision - Biology Encyclopedia

The eyes are the windows on the world. Vision is found widely in many different classes of animals and may have evolved independently at different times.

Vitamins and Coenzymes - Biology Encyclopedia

Vitamins are chemical compounds that are vital to life and indispensable to body functions. They often exist as provitamins, inactive forms that must be converted into active vitamins before they can perform metabolic tasks in the body's cells.

von Humboldt, Alexander - Biology Encyclopedia

Alexander von Humboldt was a scientist and explorer who founded the field of plant biogeography, the analysis of the distribution of plants throughout the world. Humboldt was born in Germany and apprenticed with several leading German botanists as a young man.

Water - Biology Encyclopedia

Water (H2O) is vital for all living organisms, and it is no exaggeration to say that life could not occur without it. The central feature of the water molecule is the bond between the strong electron attractor oxygen and the weak attractor hydrogen.

Water Cycle - Biology Encyclopedia

The water, or hydrologic, cycle refers to the global scale continuous movement of water between the oceans, the atmosphere, and the continents. Water exists on Earth in three states: liquid water, solid (ice or snow), and gas (water vapor).

Water Movement in Plants - Biology Encyclopedia

Long-distance water movement is crucial to the survival of land plants. Although plants vary considerably in their tolerance of water deficits, they all have their limits, beyond which survival is no longer possible.

Watson, James - Biology Encyclopedia

James Dewey Watson, American biologist, won the Nobel Prize in 1962 for the discoveries he made in molecular genetics, along with Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins.

Wetlands - Biology Encyclopedia

"Wetlands" is the collective term for habitats that are too wet to be upland and not wet enough to be fully aquatic. They occur in areas of transition between dry upland and open water or in low areas where drainage water collects or the water table is at the ground's surface.

Wildlife Biologist - Biology Encyclopedia

Wildlife biologists are scientists who study wild animals to understand how they interact with other animals and their habitat. They may also manipulate wildlife populations and their habitats (for instance, by planting food sources) in an effort to conserve these valuable resources.

Wine-making, Biology of - Biology Encyclopedia

Wine is made by fermenting fleshy fruits, principally the cultivated grape Vitis vinifera (family Vitaceae). Grapes are grown on farms called vineyards.

Wood and Wood Products - Biology Encyclopedia

Wood and wood products have played a critical role in the evolution of humankind. From the most primitive of beginnings, humans have used wood for survival and to improve the quality of life.

Zoology - Biology Encyclopedia

Zoology is a branch of biology that concentrates on the study of animals. The term comes from two Greek words: "zoon," which means "animal," and "logos," which means "the word about." Although the Greek philosopher Aristotle is sometimes called "the father of zoology," humans have always been interested in learning about animals, so it is difficult to say when zoology originated.

Zoology Researcher - Biology Encyclopedia

A zoologist is a scientist who studies animals, whether slugs or spiders, rattlesnakes or ravens. Most zoologists work at universities where often they also teach biology.