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What are the branches of biology?

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Hint: Biology is a life science that is concerned with the study of principles and the governing life processes. This subject mainly deals with the living world- its starting, its evolution, and other criteria. This subject contributes widely to the existence of life on the Earth. Hence, biology is taught in all the educational institutions as a main and compulsory subject. The subject also helps you to gain knowledge with the aim of exploring relationships between the living and the non-living, the living world, the diversity of the living organisms, the relationships between the different species, and much more.

Complete answer:
Biology is a vast field of study. Namely, it is divided into 17 diverse branches. The branches along with a brief definition are listed below:
1. Taxonomy: The science of identification, nomenclature and classification of the organisms into a systematic hierarchical structure is known as taxonomy.
2. Morphology: The studies of external forms like size, shape, colour, and structure and the relative position of several living organs of living beings.
3. Microbiology: Microbiology is a scientific study of microorganisms which includes their life cycle, habitat, cell structure, and their relation with other organisms like humans, plants, and animals, along with several other beneficial and harmful microorganisms present in biodiversity.
4. Anatomy: The study of the internal structure of organisms that can be observed with an unaided eye after the dissection.
5. Histology: The study of the tissue organization and the structure as observed through a light microscope.
6. Cytology: The study of the form and structure of cells which includes the behaviour of the nucleus and other organelles
7. Cell Biology: The study of morphological, organizational, physiological, biochemical, genetic, developmental, pathological and the evolutionary aspects of a cell and its components.
8. Molecular Biology: The study of nature, the physicochemical organization, the synthesis working and interaction of bio-molecules which bring about and control several activities of the protoplasm.
9. Physiology: The study of the different kinds of body functions and processes.
Embryology: The study of the fertilization, growth and development, and division and differentiation of the zygote into an embryo or the early development of the living beings before the attainment of the structure and size of the offspring.
10. Ecology: The study of the living organisms in relation to the other organisms and their environment.
11. Genetics: The study of the inheritance of characters or heredity and variations. Heredity is known as the study of expression and transmission of various traits from the parents to offspring.
12. Eugenics: The science that deals with the factors that are related to the improvement or impairment of race, especially the one of human beings.
13. Evolution: It studies the origin of life along with the new kinds of organisms from the previous ones by modifications that involve genetic changes and adaptations.
14. Palaeontology: It deals with the study of the fossils or remains and the impressions of the past organisms that are present in the rocks of different ages.
15. Exobiology: It refers to the branch of the scientific inquiry which deals with the study of the possibility of life in outer space.
16. Virology: The study of viruses in all their aspects.

Note:
It is important for us to note that each of these 17 branches are further subdivided into many branches. For example, consider stream microbiology. Microbiology is divided into many different subjects. Pure microbiology contains subjects like Astro microbiology, Evolutionary microbiology, cellular microbiology, systematic microbiology. All the other subjects under biology are also subdivided like this. This helps the learners to focus on each subject individually and is a convenient mode of learning as well.