What is Life

This chapter introduces what life is and what characterises it, discusses its diversity, then introduces the theory of evolution. It ends with a section discussing how scientists investigate research problems called the “Process of Science.” Living organisms share very defined characteristics—the sum of which make the “wholeness” we call life. Carl Linnaeus proposed a binomial system of classification where each organism's scientific name has two distinct parts: the genus and the species. Charles Darwin formulated the theory of natural selection which explains how evolution works. Humans share a lot in common with other living organisms, but there are features that make us distinctly human not shared with any other living organisms. The practice of science uses a carefully formulated series of steps in investigating problems. Science cannot explain everything especially philosophical questions that involve issues of right and wrong.