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HISTORY OF BIOLOGY
The history of biology goes back to the ancient and pre historic time. Very briefly, perhaps the first noticeable development in our knowledge of biology occurred during the Greek period. Individual like Aristotle (322-384 B.C) is remembered even today. He wrote a book "Historia Animalia". Carolus Linnaeus founder of biological classification, classified animals into two units i.e. genus and species. The Phrastus, discovered sex in plants and described about five hundred plants therefore, known as founder of Botany. Hardly any original addition to biological knowledge was made by the Romans, who followed the Greeks. It was not until the beginning of the Muslim period, nearly a thousand years later that revolutionary developments occurred not only in biology but in the science in general.
From the 8th to the 15th century, Muslims studied Greek and other literature, translated books of Roman and Sanskrit into Arabic, wrote new books and opened numerous centers of learning which encouraged original research and exchange of ideas between different human societies. The most outstanding contribution of Muslim scientists had been the use of experiments for the first time in scientific study. This period was truly a period of progress in biology and medicine. The following is a modest list of contributions by the Muslim and other scientists between the 8th and 20th century.
Muslim and other Biologists:
Muslims have made important contributions in the field of biology in earlier ages.
Jabir-Bin-Hayan (722-817 A.D), wrote books named "Al-Nabatat" and "Al-Haywan" on plants and animals respectively.
Abdul Malik Asmai (741 A.D), wrote books "Alkheil, Al-IbiL "Al-wahoosh", "As-Sha" and "khalaqul Insan", describing structure and function of body parts of horses, camels, sheep, wild animals and human being. "Khalaqul Insan" was popular among the western experts in Zoology. He was regarded a specialist of his time.
Ali bin Rabban Tubri (775-870 A.D), wrote book "Firdus-ul-Hikma" having many illustrations and detailed articles on Philosophy, Zoology, Psychology and Astronomy.
Abu-Usman Umer Aljahiz, wrote book "Al-Haywan" which described characteristics of 350 species of animals especially, about life of ants.
Al-Farabi (870-950 A.D) and Abul-Qasim Al-Zahravi (936-1004 A.D). Both were the renowned hakim and surgeon of the Islamic World. Al Farabi is the author of two very well known books i.e. "Kitab-i-Nabatat" and "Kitab-ul-Haywanat" and Zahravi was famous for the removal of urinary bladder stone.
Ibn-al Haitham (965-1039 A.D), wrote books like "Kitabul Manazir" and "Mizanul-Hikma", He explained the phenomenon of vision and corrected the Greek conception about vision.
Bu-Ali Sina (980 A.D), wrote books "Al-Qanoon" and "Fil Tib Al-Shifa", about plants, animals and non-living things. He is considered as one of the founder of medicine, acknowledged by the greatest expert of his time in medicines in east and west.
Ziauddin Ibn-Baitar (13th century A.D) specialized in the study of plants. He travelled to several countries, observed and studied many species of plants.
Ibn-al Nafees (13th century A.D) described the process of blood circulation in human body.
Kamal-ud-Din al-Damiri (14th century A.D) compiled a book "Hayat-al-Haywan" deals with the characteristics of 1000 kinds of animals.
Ali bin Isa was a well known eye-specialist of his time and worked on structure, function and the diseases of the eye. He wrote three volumes on this subject in which he described 130 diseases of the eye.
Abul Qasim Majreeti is especially known in Europe for his book on animal species.
Other Biologists:
After 15th century, European and other biologists made important contribution in the field of Biology.
William Harvey (1578-1657 A.D), described circulation of blood.
Galileo (1610) invented microscope to examine small organisms.
Robbert Hook (1665) discovered "cell" the basic unit of living organism.
Linnaeus (1707-1778 A.D), developed methods of classification for organisms and gave nomenclature and therefore, called father of taxonomy.
Schleiden and Schawann (1839), worked on the detailed structures of plant and animal cell, finally formulated cell theory.
Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) discovered bacteria as causes of many diseases like Tuberculosis.
J.Lister (1860), discovered antiseptics e.g. Iodine and carbolic acid.
E. Jennar (1896), discovered method of vaccination against small pox.
Charles Darwin (1859), wrote his famous book "origin of species" about evolution of different species through Natural selection.
Gregor John Mendal (1822-1884) gave his famous laws of heredity and laid foundation of Genetics.
Watson and Crick (1953) proposed double helix model of DNA to explain the function of DNA as heredity material.
The history of biology goes back to the ancient and pre historic time. Very briefly, perhaps the first noticeable development in our knowledge of biology occurred during the Greek period. Individual like Aristotle (322-384 B.C) is remembered even today. He wrote a book "Historia Animalia". Carolus Linnaeus founder of biological classification, classified animals into two units i.e. genus and species. The Phrastus, discovered sex in plants and described about five hundred plants therefore, known as founder of Botany. Hardly any original addition to biological knowledge was made by the Romans, who followed the Greeks. It was not until the beginning of the Muslim period, nearly a thousand years later that revolutionary developments occurred not only in biology but in the science in general.
From the 8th to the 15th century, Muslims studied Greek and other literature, translated books of Roman and Sanskrit into Arabic, wrote new books and opened numerous centers of learning which encouraged original research and exchange of ideas between different human societies. The most outstanding contribution of Muslim scientists had been the use of experiments for the first time in scientific study. This period was truly a period of progress in biology and medicine. The following is a modest list of contributions by the Muslim and other scientists between the 8th and 20th century.
Muslim and other Biologists:
Muslims have made important contributions in the field of biology in earlier ages.
Jabir-Bin-Hayan (722-817 A.D), wrote books named "Al-Nabatat" and "Al-Haywan" on plants and animals respectively.
Abdul Malik Asmai (741 A.D), wrote books "Alkheil, Al-IbiL "Al-wahoosh", "As-Sha" and "khalaqul Insan", describing structure and function of body parts of horses, camels, sheep, wild animals and human being. "Khalaqul Insan" was popular among the western experts in Zoology. He was regarded a specialist of his time.
Ali bin Rabban Tubri (775-870 A.D), wrote book "Firdus-ul-Hikma" having many illustrations and detailed articles on Philosophy, Zoology, Psychology and Astronomy.
Abu-Usman Umer Aljahiz, wrote book "Al-Haywan" which described characteristics of 350 species of animals especially, about life of ants.
Al-Farabi (870-950 A.D) and Abul-Qasim Al-Zahravi (936-1004 A.D). Both were the renowned hakim and surgeon of the Islamic World. Al Farabi is the author of two very well known books i.e. "Kitab-i-Nabatat" and "Kitab-ul-Haywanat" and Zahravi was famous for the removal of urinary bladder stone.
Ibn-al Haitham (965-1039 A.D), wrote books like "Kitabul Manazir" and "Mizanul-Hikma", He explained the phenomenon of vision and corrected the Greek conception about vision.
Bu-Ali Sina (980 A.D), wrote books "Al-Qanoon" and "Fil Tib Al-Shifa", about plants, animals and non-living things. He is considered as one of the founder of medicine, acknowledged by the greatest expert of his time in medicines in east and west.
Ziauddin Ibn-Baitar (13th century A.D) specialized in the study of plants. He travelled to several countries, observed and studied many species of plants.
Ibn-al Nafees (13th century A.D) described the process of blood circulation in human body.
Kamal-ud-Din al-Damiri (14th century A.D) compiled a book "Hayat-al-Haywan" deals with the characteristics of 1000 kinds of animals.
Ali bin Isa was a well known eye-specialist of his time and worked on structure, function and the diseases of the eye. He wrote three volumes on this subject in which he described 130 diseases of the eye.
Abul Qasim Majreeti is especially known in Europe for his book on animal species.
Other Biologists:
After 15th century, European and other biologists made important contribution in the field of Biology.
William Harvey (1578-1657 A.D), described circulation of blood.
Galileo (1610) invented microscope to examine small organisms.
Robbert Hook (1665) discovered "cell" the basic unit of living organism.
Linnaeus (1707-1778 A.D), developed methods of classification for organisms and gave nomenclature and therefore, called father of taxonomy.
Schleiden and Schawann (1839), worked on the detailed structures of plant and animal cell, finally formulated cell theory.
Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) discovered bacteria as causes of many diseases like Tuberculosis.
J.Lister (1860), discovered antiseptics e.g. Iodine and carbolic acid.
E. Jennar (1896), discovered method of vaccination against small pox.
Charles Darwin (1859), wrote his famous book "origin of species" about evolution of different species through Natural selection.
Gregor John Mendal (1822-1884) gave his famous laws of heredity and laid foundation of Genetics.
Watson and Crick (1953) proposed double helix model of DNA to explain the function of DNA as heredity material.
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