Life Science

Explore the world of the life sciences, which are concerned with the study of living things, such as people, plants, animals, and even microscopic organisms. Life science is one of two major branches in the sciences, with physical science—or the sciences dealing with nonliving matter—being the other.

Biology, which is the study of life and how living things survive and change, is so foundational to the life sciences that some people use the terms interchangeably. There are many disciplines included in the life sciences, however, such as anthropology, ecology, entomology, botany, zoology, microbiology, physiology, biotechnology, evolutionary biology, genetics, human anatomy, marine biology, molecular and cell biology, neuroscience, paleontology, plant biology, and biochemistry.

Some life sciences focus on a particular type of organism, such as animals (zoology) or plants (botany). Others examine aspects that are common to all or many life forms, such as anatomy and genetics. And still others focus on the life that cannot even be seen with the naked eye, such as molecular biology and microchemistry.

The diversity within this discipline means that the life sciences have a broad application in society. Those who study the life sciences can apply their knowledge in the fields of medicine, engineering, scientific research, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, food science, natural resource management, and conservation. Health-related fields are particularly prominent destinations for students of the life sciences.

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Life Sciences Resources

Gale provides scholarly life science resources and biology resources, including databases, primary source archives, and eBooks.

Databases

Gale databases offer researchers and educators access to credible, up-to-date life science and biology databases for research. Resources include abstracts, guides, full-text journal articles, and more. Citation tools and intuitive subject indexing provide an unparalleled research experience.

Gale Interactive: Science

Brings science to life with interactive 3D models that empower learners to better visualize and understand concepts in biology, chemistry, earth and space science, environmental science, and more.

Gale In Context: Science

Supports science studies by providing contextual information on hundreds of today’s most significant science topics and showcasing scientific disciplines that relate to real-world issues.

Gale OneFile: Science

With Gale OneFile: Science, researchers can remain current with the latest scientific developments in particle physics, advanced mathematics, nanotechnology, geology, and hundreds of other areas. Includes full-text periodicals and scholarly journals.

National Geographic Virtual Library: National Geographic Kids

National Geographic Kids includes the complete run of the magazine from 2009 to the present and provides authoritative, age-appropriate digital content suitable for younger students in subjects like English Language Arts, social studies, and science.

Primary Source Archives

Gale Primary Sources offers life scientific archives and collections that provide researchers with firsthand content.

Nineteenth Century Collections Online: Science, Technology, and Medicine, Part I

The “long” 19^th century is an era characterized by industrial, technical, and social revolution. With a changing society came new approaches to the study of natural history, physics, mathematics, medicine, and public health. Boasting a wealth of curated primary sources, this collection helps researchers place essential subjects in the larger picture of historical study.

Nineteenth Century Collections Online: Science, Technology, and Medicine, Part II

Science, Technology and Medicine, Part II expands subject coverage in Part I, gathering together periodicals and monographs from renowned sources and providing a global view of science and technology from a critical era of scientific development.

Early Arabic Printed Books from the British Library: Sciences, History, and Geography

Early Arabic Printed Books from the British Library: Sciences, History, and Geography is a full-text searchable archive of early Arabic printed books on medicine and physiology, classical sciences, mathematics, astrology, chemistry, natural history, philosophy, logic and ethics, politics, history and genealogy, biography, travel, geography, and much more. This collection presents the range of Arab learning that influenced the scholarship and scientific development in Europe through the Middle Ages and Early Modern period.

Gale eBooks

Gale offers a variety of eBooks covering a wide range of topics, including biology publications, biological chemistry, ecosystems, and more. Users can add Gale eBooks to a customized collection and cross-search to pinpoint relevant content. Workflow tools help users easily share, save, and download content.

Ecotoxicology Essentials: Environmental Contaminants and Their Biological Effects on Animals and Plants, 1st Edition

Ecotoxicology Essentials: Environmental Contaminants and Their Biological Effects on Animals and Plants, 1^st Edition

Academic Press | 2016 | ISBN-13: 9780128019610

As a thorough guide to the study of environmental contaminants and their effect on the planet’s ecology, this book provides a comprehensive analysis of their impact on microbes, plants and animals, and entire ecosystems, also citing ways that humans can be affected through serious illnesses and even death.

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Encyclopedia of Biological Chemistry, 2nd Edition

Encyclopedia of Biological Chemistry, 2^nd Edition

Elsevier Science | 2014 | ISBN-13: 9780123786319

The four-volume Encyclopedia of Biological Chemistry, 2^nd Edition, represents the current state of a dynamic and crucial field of study. The encyclopedia pulls together over 500 articles that help define and explore contemporary biochemistry, with content experts carefully chosen by the editorial board to assure both breadth and depth in its coverage. Editors-In-Chief William J. Lennarz and M. Daniel Lane have crafted a work that proceeds from the acknowledgement that understanding every living process—from physiology to immunology to genetics—is impossible without a grasp on the basic chemistry that provides its underpinning. Each article in the work provides an up-to-date snapshot of a given topic, written by experts, as well as suggestions for further readings for students and researchers wishing to go into greater depth.

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Evolution, 1st Edition

Evolution, 1^st Edition

Facts on File | 2009 | ISBN-13: 9781438117409

The theory of evolution can be observed anywhere—from exotic tropical rain forests to our own backyards—and is based on three main principles: heredity, variation, and selection. In the 19^th century, Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace sought to explain how these processes work together to produce new species. Evolution provided the first scientific system to investigate the origins and relationships of living creatures, and today it serves as a grand unifying theory, explaining facts that cannot really be accounted for in any other way.

Evolution demonstrates why the theory was necessary, describing it as clearly as possible, in order to show how it has been received by society and to explain the central role that it plays in today’s science. This new book also examines the immense impact evolution has had on society and on modern medicine—including the birth of genetic science in the early 1900s and the discovery that genes were made of DNA in the 1950s. Written in clear language, Evolution fills a niche for high school and college students interested in this fascinating topic.

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Real World Science: Biology in Your Everyday Life, 1st Edition

Real World Science: Biology in Your Everyday Life, 1^st Edition

Enslow Publishing | 2020 | ISBN-13: 9781978509443

Why are some people lactose intolerant? What happens to the brain during and after a concussion? What causes acne breakouts? The answers to these questions and many more are found in the biology of the human body. Featuring relatable scenarios and hands-on activities, this book details how biology affects practically everything in a person’s everyday life. Sidebars consider myths about acne, sex testing in sports, antibiotic resistance, mental health, and how microorganisms transform food. Supporting Next Generation Science Standards in middle school life science, this book provides students with a deeper understanding of the process of science and the importance of biology in their lives.

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Resources to Boost Your Research

From trending social issues to classic literature, Gale resources have you covered. Explore overviews, statistics, essay topics, and more or log in through your library to find even more content.

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