Biology is referred to as a natural science because it is the study of living organisms and their interactions with the environment, which are based on empirical evidence and the laws of nature. In biology, scientists use observation, experimentation, and analysis to understand the structure, function, growth, evolution, and distribution of life forms.
Natural sciences, including biology, physics, chemistry, and earth sciences, seek to explain natural phenomena through systematic methodologies. Biology specifically examines biological processes, such as reproduction, metabolism, and adaptation. This discipline is rooted in the scientific method, where hypotheses are formed and tested, allowing for the development of theories based on observed data.
Additionally, biology overlaps with other natural sciences, such as chemistry in biochemistry, or physics in biophysics, showing that its principles are governed by the same fundamental rules that govern the physical world. Therefore, biology’s foundational approach to studying life and its processes is what firmly places it within the category of natural sciences.