Life Cycle, Processes & Properties, EAT-FET

None of us are born looking exactly the way that we do today; this is because humans, like other species, undergo a series of changes as they mature and age, in accordance with their biological life cycle. This process can look very different across different species. In many simple organisms and in higher animals, the life cycle is completed within a single generation, while in most plants, the life cycle is multigenerational.
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Life Cycle, Processes & Properties Encyclopedia Articles By Title

eating disorders
eating disorders, atypical eating patterns, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia, compulsive overeating, and pica......
Ebola
Ebola, contagious disease caused by a virus of the family Filoviridae that is responsible for a severe and often......
ebullism
ebullism, formation of bubbles in the bodily fluids because of an extreme reduction in the surrounding pressure.......
echinococcosis
echinococcosis, formation of cysts, or hydatids, at the site of infestation by the larval form of Echinococcus......
ecological fallacy
ecological fallacy, in epidemiology, failure in reasoning that arises when an inference is made about an individual......
ectoderm
ectoderm, the outermost of the three germ layers, or masses of cells, which appears early in the development of......
ectopic pregnancy
ectopic pregnancy, condition in which the fertilized ovum (egg) has become imbedded outside the uterine cavity.......
ectotherm
ectotherm, any so-called cold-blooded animal—that is, any animal whose regulation of body temperature depends on......
ectropion
ectropion, outward turning of the border (or margin) of the eyelid (usually the lower eyelids). The condition most......
edema
edema, in medicine, an abnormal accumulation of watery fluid in the intercellular spaces of connective tissue.......
egg
egg, in biology, the female sex cell, or gamete. In botany, the egg is sometimes called a macrogamete. In zoology,......
egg tooth
egg tooth, tooth or toothlike structure used by the young of many egg-laying species to break the shell of the......
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), rare heritable disorder characterized primarily by great elasticity of the skin,......
ehrlichiosis
ehrlichiosis, any of a group of illnesses stemming from a tick-borne bacterial infection that affects humans and......
elbow injuries
elbow injuries, the common sprains, dislocations, and fractures caused by forced movement of the joint beyond its......
electrical shock
electrical shock, the perceptible and physical effect of an electrical current that enters the body. The shock......
electroreception
electroreception, the ability to detect weak naturally occurring electrostatic fields in the environment. Electroreception......
elephantiasis
elephantiasis, condition associated with the infectious diseases known collectively as filariasis. Elephantiasis......
embolism
embolism, obstruction of the flow of blood by an embolus, a particle or aggregate of substance that is abnormally......
embryo
embryo, the early developmental stage of an animal while it is in the egg or within the uterus of the mother. In......
embryology
embryology, the study of the formation and development of an embryo and fetus. Before widespread use of the microscope......
emotional development
emotional development, emergence of the experience, expression, understanding, and regulation of emotions from......
emphysema
emphysema, condition characterized by widespread destruction of the gas-exchanging tissues of the lungs, resulting......
empyema
empyema, accumulation of pus in a cavity of the body, usually in the pleura, which are the serous membranes covering......
enamel
enamel, in anatomy, the hardest tissue of the body, covering part or all of the crown of the tooth in mammals.......
encephalitis
encephalitis, from Greek enkephalos (“brain”) and itis (“inflammation”), inflammation of the brain. Inflammation......
encephalitis lethargica
encephalitis lethargica, form of encephalitis that emerged in the early 20th century. An encephalitis lethargica......
enchondroma
enchondroma, solitary benign cartilaginous tumour that occurs mostly in the shafts of bones of the hands and feet,......
endocarditis
endocarditis, inflammation of the heart lining, or endocardium. Endocarditis is caused by any of a number of microorganisms,......
endocrine disruptor
endocrine disruptor, any chemical that mimics or interferes with the normal actions of hormones in the body. Endocrine......
endoderm
endoderm, the innermost of the three germ layers, or masses of cells (lying within ectoderm and mesoderm), which......
endometriosis
endometriosis, disorder of the female reproductive system characterized by the growth of endometrial tissue (uterine......
endometritis
endometritis, inflammation of the endometrium, the mucous lining of the uterus. Endometritis is most commonly caused......
endosperm
endosperm, tissue that surrounds and nourishes the embryo in the seeds of angiosperms (flowering plants). In some......
endotherm
endotherm, so-called warm-blooded animals; that is, those that maintain a constant body temperature independent......
endotoxin
endotoxin, toxic substance bound to the bacterial cell wall and released when the bacterium ruptures or disintegrates.......
enteritis
enteritis, inflammation of the intestines (especially of the small intestine), caused by irritants, poisons, viral......
entropion
entropion, inward turning of the border (or margin) of the eyelid (usually the lower eyelids), occurring most often......
enuresis
enuresis, elimination disorder characterized by four factors: the repeated voluntary or involuntary voiding of......
ephemeral
ephemeral, in botany, any short-lived plant, usually one that has one or more generations per year, growing only......
epicanthic fold
epicanthic fold, fold of skin across the inner corner of the eye (canthus). The epicanthic fold produces the eye......
epidemic
epidemic, an occurrence of disease that is temporarily of high prevalence. An epidemic occurring over a wide geographical......
epidemiology
epidemiology, branch of medical science that studies the distribution of disease in human populations and the factors......
epididymitis
epididymitis, inflammation of the epididymis, the cordlike structure that runs along the posterior of the testis......
epidural hematoma
epidural hematoma, a type of head injury involving bleeding into the space between the skull and the dura mater,......
epilepsy
epilepsy, chronic neurological disorder characterized by sudden and recurrent seizures which are caused by an absence......
epithelioma
epithelioma, an abnormal growth, or tumour, of the epithelium, the layer of tissue (such as the skin or mucous......
epitope
epitope, portion of a foreign protein, or antigen, that is capable of stimulating an immune response. An epitope......
equine encephalitis
equine encephalitis, severe viral disease of horses and mules, transmitted by mosquitoes. It sometimes affects......
equine infectious anemia
equine infectious anemia (EIA), disease of horses that is caused by a non-oncogenic (non-cancer-causing) retrovirus.......
equine respiratory disease
equine respiratory disease, a complex of infections of viral origin, including equine viral rhinopneumonitis (viral......
ergot
ergot, fungal disease of cereal grasses, especially rye, caused by species of the ascomycete fungus Claviceps.......
erysipelas
erysipelas, contagious infection of the skin and underlying tissue, caused by group A B-hemolytic streptococcus......
erysipelothrix infection
erysipelothrix infection, any of several infectious diseases caused by the widespread bacterium Erysipelothrix......
erythema
erythema, any abnormal redness of the skin. Erythema is caused by dilation and irritation of the superficial capillaries;......
erythrasma
erythrasma, a superficial skin infection marked by reddish brown scaly patches and attributed to the bacterium......
erythroblastosis fetalis
erythroblastosis fetalis, type of anemia in which the red blood cells (erythrocytes) of a fetus are destroyed in......
erythromelalgia
erythromelalgia , rare disease in which the blood vessels of the hands and feet go through spasms of dilation associated......
esophageal cancer
esophageal cancer, disease characterized by the abnormal growth of cells in the esophagus, the muscular tube connecting......
esophagus
esophagus, relatively straight muscular tube through which food passes from the pharynx to the stomach. The esophagus......
essential tremor
essential tremor, disorder of the nervous system characterized by involuntary oscillating movements that typically......
ethanol
ethanol, a member of a class of organic compounds that are given the general name alcohols; its molecular formula......
Eurasian Magpie: A True Bird Brain
There is a fair amount of superstition surrounding the Eurasian magpie (also called the common magpie), a bird......
eusocial species
eusocial species, any colonial animal species that lives in multigenerational family groups in which the vast majority......
eustachian tube
eustachian tube, hollow structure that extends from the middle ear to the pharynx (throat). The eustachian tube......
evergreen
evergreen, any plant that retains its leaves through the year and into the following growing season. Many tropical......
Everything’s Illuminated: 6 Bioluminescent Organisms
Light-producing, or bioluminescent, organisms occur across the spectrum of life—get it, spectrum? There are blinking......
Ewing tumour of bone
Ewing tumour of bone, common malignant tumour of bone that occurs mainly in Caucasian males under the age of 20.......
exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage
exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage, disease condition in horses in which blood appears in the airways during......
exfoliative dermatitis
exfoliative dermatitis, generalized redness and scaling of the skin that usually arises as a complication of a......
exhibitionism
exhibitionism, derivation of sexual gratification through compulsive display of one’s genitals. Like voyeurism......
exophthalmos
exophthalmos, abnormal protrusion of one or both eyeballs. The most common cause for unilateral or bilateral exophthalmos......
exotoxin
exotoxin, a poisonous substance secreted by certain bacteria. In their purest form they are the most potent poisons......
external auditory canal
external auditory canal, passageway that leads from the outside of the head to the tympanic membrane, or eardrum......
eye colour
eye colour, heritable phenotypic (observable) trait determined by pigmentation and light scattering in the iris......
eyeball
eyeball, spheroidal structure containing sense receptors for vision, found in all vertebrates and constructed much......
eyelid
eyelid, movable tissue, consisting primarily of skin and muscle, that shields and protects the eyeball from mechanical......
eyespot
eyespot, a heavily pigmented region in certain one-celled organisms that apparently functions in light reception.......
Fabry’s disease
Fabry’s disease, sex-linked hereditary disease in which a deficiency in the enzyme alpha-galactosidase A results......
Falling Far from the Tree: 7 Brilliant Ways Seeds and Fruits Are Dispersed
It’s tough for a little seed to make it in the big world. Not only must a seed land in a suitable place to grow,......
Fallot, tetralogy of
tetralogy of Fallot, combination of congenital heart defects characterized by hypoxic spells (which include difficulty......
false pregnancy
false pregnancy, disorder that may mimic many of the effects of pregnancy, including enlargement of the uterus,......
familial hypercholesterolemia
familial hypercholesterolemia, an inherited metabolic disease that is caused by deficiency of the LDL (low-density......
farmer’s lung
farmer’s lung, a pulmonary disorder that results from the development of hypersensitivity to inhaled dust from......
fascioliasis
fascioliasis, infection of humans and grass-grazing animals caused by the liver fluke Fasciola hepatica, a small......
fasciolopsiasis
fasciolopsiasis, infection of humans and swine by the trematode Fasciolopsis buski, a parasitic worm. Human and......
favism
favism, a hereditary disorder involving an allergic-like reaction to the broad, or fava, bean (Vicia faba). Susceptible......
feces
feces, solid bodily waste discharged from the large intestine through the anus during defecation. Feces are normally......
feedback
feedback, in biology, a response within a system (molecule, cell, organism, or population) that influences the......
feeding behaviour
feeding behaviour, any action of an animal that is directed toward the procurement of nutrients. The variety of......
feline distemper
feline distemper, viral disease of cats, kittens two to six months old being most susceptible. Highly contagious,......
feline leukemia
feline leukemia, viral disease of cats, one of the most serious diseases affecting domestic cats and a few other......
feline respiratory disease
feline respiratory disease, a complex of viral contagions of cats (including rhinotracheitis, pneumonitis, and......
fermentation
fermentation, chemical process by which molecules such as glucose are broken down anaerobically. More broadly,......
fertilization
fertilization, union of a sperm nucleus, of paternal origin, with an egg nucleus, of maternal origin, to form the......
fetal alcohol syndrome
fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), various congenital abnormalities in the newborn infant that are caused by the mother’s......
fetus
fetus, the unborn young of any vertebrate animal, particularly of a mammal, after it has attained the basic form......

Life Cycle, Processes & Properties Encyclopedia Articles By Title