Biology and Human Welfare

Introduction

Human welfare is at the heart of independent ethics. It simply means that scientific and technological advances are ultimately aimed at human well-being. Having said that, biology itself is a branch of science that not only studies the morphology, anatomy, physiology, genetics and metabolism of organisms but also aims to develop, innovate and explore new areas to bring about significant changes in human society.

Biology and Human welfare

Biology and human welfare originated from human civilisation. Biology and human well-being are evidenced by the raising of plants and animals, the making of cheese and curd, the production of alcohol, and the list goes on and on! Agricultural processes, food processing, and diagnosis have brought about social and cultural changes in human societies. Therefore, it is important for us to understand the basics of biology and human well-being and to explore future opportunities. Therefore, allow yourself to be introduced to the amazing chapter of biology and human well-being, where you can get to know the various practical aspects of biology in human society. The biology in human welfare can be studied under three categories:

•   Human health and diseases
•   Microbes in human welfare
•   Strategies for the enhancement of food

Human health and Diseases

From the earliest times, human life has been fascinated by the wisdom of philosophers and thinkers. Previously, health was only part of physical well-being. Greeks such as Hippocrates and the Indian medical system of Ayurveda asserted that life is parallel to certain ‘humour’ in the body. However, with the advent of scientific discoveries, such as William Harvey’s blood transfusion, which created more than just ‘humorous’ balance, these ideas changed, and health began to increase beyond physical health. The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” Different factors influence an individual’s health, such as genetic abnormalities, infections produced by bacteria, viruses, or fungus, and one’s lifestyle, such as eating habits, sleeping habits, and exercise. Humans are affected by a variety of diseases. Pathogen refers to the disease-causing organism, which can be a bacteria, virus, fungus, or nematode.

Immunity

Immunity is defined as the body’s resistance to any type of infection. Immunity is achieved by the presence of antibodies in that disease in the human system. Antibodies are proteins produced by the body to reduce or destroy toxins or pathogens. Antibodies are effective against certain diseases.

There are four types of immunity:

Active immunity is the result when exposure to the immune system causes the immune system to produce antibodies in that disease. Effective defences can be acquired through natural defence or defence-induced immunity. Natural immunity – is found in exposure to the body of the disease through infection with the actual disease. Vaccine-induced immunity – is achieved through the introduction of a killed or weakened species of the disease by vaccination. Passive immunity is provided when a person is given antibodies to a disease rather than producing them through his or her own immune system. People can also get passive immunity through antibody-containing blood products such as immune globulin, which may be given when immediate protection from a specific disease is needed.

Microbes in human welfare

Microbes are harmful as well as useful for human beings. Microbes in Household Products Lactobacillus is a bacterium found in curd. It is responsible for turning milk into curd. These bacteria produce lactic acid that slowly digests milk proteins and combines them into curd. A small inoculum of curd is needed in the milk to begin the process of curd formation. The curd is rich in Vitamin B12. The process of making alcohol from sugar is known as fermentation. It is a process that occurs when there is no oxygen. So, it is an anaerobic process. The fermentation process was discovered by Louis Pasteur. The batter used to make idli and dosa is also made up of fermented germs. Bread is also made up of fermented yeast known as Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Several different beverages are produced by the same fermentation process. Cheese is also produced by fermented bacteria known as Propionibacterium shermanii.

Microbes in Sewage Treatment

Stools contain pathogenic bacteria and many organic matters. Bacteria in dirty pipes are dangerous. There are various germs involved in sewage treatment. Bacteria such as Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter are involved in fertilisation. Pseudomonas is also one of the bacteria that is involved in the breakdown of living organisms.

Microbes in Industrial Products

Microbes are the sources of antibiotics and antimicrobials. Every day we come in contact with a host of germs that invade our body and cause various infections in us. But these antibiotics and vaccines help us fight these diseases. Antibiotics such as streptomycin and tetracycline are produced in bacteria and fungi. The first antibiotic Alexander Fleming discovered was the fungus Penicillin. Vaccines contain germs that do not work for a specific disease to build up the immune system. There are vaccines for cholera, smallpox, tuberculosis, and hepatitis B virus.

Strategies in the enhancement of food

Biology also worked to improve food production. Various methods are used to improve the quality, quantity, texture, shelf life of various foods such as fruits, vegetables, milk and dairy products etc.  Breeding is the most widely used method to improve food production. Animal husbandry is also one of the most effective strategies for Human Welfare. It is the science of managing and caring for farm animals by humans. It is customary to breed in order to highlight the desirable habits in animals in order to improve Human Welfare. It includes managing of

•                 Poultry
•                 Dairy
•                 Pisciculture
•                 Aquaculture

Crop breeding is the exploitation of plant species to obtain desirable plant characteristics such as high yield, pest resistance, resistance etc. This helps to produce disease-resistant, insect-resistant plant species. This also improves crop production, which is much needed in a country like India, where there is a great need for food.

Conclusion

Most viruses in humans live in harmony with human cells, but diseases and infections can be caused when this balance is compromised or when the body or immune system is weakened. Bacteria can transmit genetic information, among others, and this is one of the ways that antibiotic resistance spreads between viruses. The process is rooted in MRSA. Beneficial bacteria have an important role to play in disposing of human waste in wild plants.