March 2015 - Accelerated Biology
This month we are going to blog about "-ology". The life sciences have a host of sub areas of study that you may or may not have heard of before. For this month's blog I would like to find and share an "-ology" that you might be interested in or one in which you don't know anything about. Please post the name of the area of study and then give a brief overview of what it is and the jobs that are associated with this field. (Let's try not to have any repeats!) I will start us off:
Mycology is the study of fungi, its taxonomy, genetics and chemical properties. Experts in this field work in the medical, and food industries. When I was an undergraduate student at Iowa State University, two of my favorite professors (Dr. George Knaphus and Dr. Louise Tiffany) were world renown mycologists and very good people.
Histology is the study of cells, tissues, organs, and their functions. People who study histology usually work in the clinical labs, public health department, government agencies, or clinical research labs.
ReplyDeleteBacteriology is the study of bacteria's identification, classification and characterization. It is a subdivision of microbiology. A bacteriologist's job is to study the bacteria in a living organism and see what affects it has. Also, their job is to see how monitor drugs that can affect the bacteria. In order to be a bacteriologist you must have a Ph.D.
ReplyDeleteMorphology is the study about the form and structures of the parts of the living organisms, as well as distinguished phenotype, there are four branches under morphology including: Comparative-, Functional-, Experimental morphology, and Anatomy which is related to.
ReplyDeleteEthology is the study of behaviors, both in animals and humans. An ethologist could work as a psychologist, teacher, researcher, animal trainer, as a veterinarian or as a zoologist. In order to work in the ethology field, you must have an advanced degree such as a bachelor's degree.
ReplyDeleteHelioseismology is the study of wave frequencies and pressures passing through the sun. The information on the numerous sound waves resonating through the star's interior provides information on the inner composition of the sun down to its core. As it is an incredibly narrow field, scientists do not completely devote themselves to helioseismology, but it is used by astronomers studying the sun and other stars.
ReplyDeleteCardiology is the branch of biology that studies hearts. A cardiologist can work in the hospital diagnosing diseases or conditions dealing with the the heart and blood vessels. Cardiologists must have completed four years of medical school and three years of training in general internal medicine.
ReplyDeletePulmonology is the study of the respiratory system and diseases in the respiratory track. Pulmonology mostly deal with the medicines that deal with issues in respiratory systems. Pulmonologists are trained in diseases related the the respiratory system, such as asthma, tuberculosis, or chest infections. Some possible jobs associated with pulmonology are things such as surgeons or pediatricians.
ReplyDeleteEdaphology is the study of soil and how it affects living organisms, particularly plants. This science can help farmers and land cultivators to adjust their practices and use certain soils in order to produce healthier, more fruitful crops.
ReplyDeleteCetology is the study of whales - and other marine mammals such as dolphins, orcas, and porpoises. Jobs involving cetology are biology teachers, marine researches, or even sea environmental protectionists. Did you know that whales do not have eyelids? They have oily tears instead to protect their eyeballs. Therefore, whales do not have eyelashes either ;)
ReplyDeleteHepatology is the branch of medicine that concerns the study of the liver, biliary tree, gallbladder, and pancreas. It is considered to be a branch of the gastroenterology field. Doctors and scientists in this field study these organs and help patients who have forms of Hepatitis, Pancreatitis, liver diseases, and cancers of the listed organs, among other ailments.
ReplyDeleteHerpetogoly is the study of amphibians and reptiles. Herpetology also looks into the role amphibians and reptiles play in the global ecology since these animals are sensitive to climate changes. Most people usually don't major in herpetology in school, instead the study under a larger umbrella of biological sciences. Careers include field work, research lab, museum/zoo staff, and college teaching. A modern herpetologist was the late Steve Irwin.
ReplyDeleteOtolaryngology is the study of diseases concerning the ear, nose, and throat. Often referred to as ENT (standing for ear, nose, and throat) physicians, otolaryngologists diagnose, manage, and treat related disorders.
ReplyDeleteRodentology is the study of rodents. Anatomy, behavior, genome, yadda yadda yadda. Rodentologists don't do anything practical, they just research things we all want dead anyway.
ReplyDeleteOphthalmology is the medical category that covers the anatomy, physiology, and diseases of the eyes. A doctor who is specialized in this category is referred to as an ophthalmologist. An ophthalmologist also performs surgery on the eyes, therefore, they are surgical and medical specialists.
ReplyDeleteEpidemiology is the study of patterns, causes, and the effects of human heath conditions and epidemic diseases. Epidemiology contributed to the cornerstone of public health and humans newly found knowledge about disease today.
ReplyDeleteNematology is the study of nematodes (some of you may guess where I got my inspiration from). Nematologists study the behavior, anatomy, environment, passed events possibly linked to nematodes, history, genome, etc of nematodes. They have also help farmers grow nematode-resistant crops and nematicides to eliminate the pests from their fields.
ReplyDeleteMelittology is the study of bees; Melittologists study the biology, evolution, and ecology of bees. People such as beekeepers may have this job.
ReplyDeleteScatology or coprology is the study of feces. Scatology can determine many things about an animal including its diet, how healthy the animal is, and if it has and diseases.
ReplyDeleteEthology is the study of animal behavior. It focuses on their behavior in natural conditions. It helps us understand the world around us and it can help us understand ourselves a bit better.
ReplyDeleteTechnology is the study of techniques, methods, or processes used in the production of goods or services or in accomplishment of objectives. Careers from this have lots of variety, from working with machinery to working with cell phones and devices.
ReplyDeleteBiology is the study of living organisms. Jobs that use biology are Biogeographist, Developmental biologist , Evolutionary biologist, Ichnologist, Morphologist, Paleontologist, Biochemist, Bioengineer, Molecular biologist, Cytologist, Histologist, Microbiologist , Protistologist, Comparative anatomist, Entomologist, Ethologist, Herpetologist, Ichthyologist, Mammalogist , Ornithologist, Primatologist, Zoologist, Astrobiologist, Bioclimatologist, Chronobiologist, Conservation biologist and many more.
ReplyDeleteAreology is the study of Mars. For many years now, we have been trying to reveal the history of mars to see if life can ever be present on it. This "-ology" is all about discovering and revealing the characteristics of mars and its history. Jobs for this -ology include: bioinformatician, robotics specialist, software engineer, astrologer, astrophysicist and many more.
ReplyDeleteCarcinology is the study of crabs and other crustaceans. This area studies crustaceans' daily lives, such as feeding and breeding habits. Jobs for this category include marine biologist, aquarium crustacean specialist, science school teacher, and more.
ReplyDeletePsychology is the study of the mind and behavior. People that study the topic are called Psychologists. They research concepts like cognition and perception, and they try learn about the brain.
ReplyDeleteZoopsychology is the biological study of mental processes in animals. Many scientists in this field work in zoos observing animals behavior. They can come to understand the animals better and improve the animals living conditions by helping the zoos understand what "stresses" the animals out. They can also teach or conduct private experiments.
ReplyDeleteToxicology - Toxicology is the study of the effects chemicals have on organisms with special focus on poisons. One who studies toxicology and or works in this field of science is a toxicologist. This field of study can help identify and bring attention to harmful chemicals that we could possibly be ingesting.
ReplyDeleteAstrobiology is the study of the origins of life in space, human life and exploration in space, and extraterrestrial life. Basically, if you're dealing with both biology and space, its under the umbrella of astrobiology. More specifically, exobiology is the search for life in space and on other planets. This field has an immense capacity to grow in the coming years depending on what discoveries are made related to life off of Earth.
ReplyDeleteDermatology is the study of skin. Usually, dermatologists deal with skin, hair, and nails and the diseases such as skin cancer that come with them. Many people who are in the field of dermatology are associated with skin cancer, such as Melanoma, or cosmetic dermatology, in which a patient is not having cancer removed, but most likely trying to fix their appearance by getting a nose job or implants.
ReplyDeleteArachnology is the study of spiders. Arachnologists are primarily responsible for the discovery and classification of spiders all around the world. They also investigate the taxonomy of spiders and their behavioral ecology, as well as how they interct and are affected by their environments.
ReplyDeleteDendrochronology is the study of tree-ring dating. Dendrochronologist looks at tree-rings to determine not only the age of the tree, but also whether or not there have been natural disasters in its past.
ReplyDeleteOtorhinolaryngology is the study of the ears, nose, and throat. Otolaryngologist generally treat children or babies who have persistent ear, nose, and throat conditions. Plastic surgeons will generally work with Otolaryngologists to be able to receive a certification to use reconstructive surgery of the head, face, and neck.
ReplyDeleteIchthyology is the study of fish. There are three groups of fish that ichthyologists study. They are bony fish, cartilaginous fish, and jawless fish. One who studies Ichthyology is called an Ichthyologist. The first known Ichthyologist was in the 1500s, and his name was Pierre Belon.
ReplyDeleteThanatology is the study of death and dying. It investigates the mechanisms and forensic aspects of death, such as bodily changes that accompany death and the post-mortem period, as well as wider social aspects related to death.
ReplyDeleteNematology-The study of nematodes. Nematodes are also known as roundworms, and they are usually parasitic. They are the most abundant multicellular animals on the planet. They are notorious for consuming pineapples under the sea. Nematology is a branch of zoology. Nematologists generally work in labs to research nematodes.
ReplyDeleteNeurology is the study of nerves and the nervous system. This area of study is very important in modern medicine because of the number of health problems caused by disorders of the nervous system. Neurologists study illnesses such as epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease.
ReplyDeletePaleontology is the study of fossils to determine the evolution of organisms and their interactions between other species and their environment.
ReplyDeleteLepidopterology is the study of butterflies and moths. It is a branch of entomology (the study of insects) which focuses on moths as well as the three superfamilies of butterflies (Papilianoidea, Hesperioidea, and Hedyloidea.) Lepidopterists can be both professional scholars, and people who are looking for a hobby. Fun Fact: M from James Bond and Jame Gumb from The Silence of the Lambs were both fictional Lepidopterists!
ReplyDeleteAstrogeology is the study of geology on other planets and/or how they relate to our own Earth. Could you map another planet? do they have earthquakes, volcanoes, mountains, etc? What rocks and minerals are in it? (so on and so forth).
ReplyDeleteHerpetology is a branch of zoology that is focused on the study of amphibians and reptiles. Herpetologist usually will work closely with zoos but can also work to find uses for the animals venom's. Uses such as creating an anti-coagulant to treat stroke victims and also people who have experienced a heart attack.
ReplyDeleteCosmology refers to the study of the origin of our universe. Modern astronomy and cosmology revolves (pun intended) around the Big Bang Theory, the conclusion stating that all matter was packed in a dense space and exploded out, expanded (and still is expanding) and came together to form the planetary and solar bodies, along with nebulae and literally the entire composition of the universe.
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