Chapter 8
Human Health and Disease
Chapter 9
Strategies for Enhancement in
Food Production
Chapter 10
Microbes in Human Welfare
Biology is the youngest of the formalised disciplines of natural
science. Progress in physics and chemistry proceeded much
faster than in Biology. Applications of physics and chemistry in
our daily life also have a higher visibility than those of biology.
However, twentieth century and certainly twenty-first century
has demonstrated the utility of biological knowledge in
furthering human welfare, be it in health sector or agriculture.
The discovery of antibiotics, and synthetic plant-derived drugs,
anaesthetics have changed medical practice on one hand
and human health on the other hand. Life expectancy of
human beings have dramatically changed over the years.
Agricultural practices, food processing and diagnostics have
brought socio-cultural changes in human communities. These
are briefly described in the following three chapters of this unit.