bio-, bi-, -bia, -bial, -bian, -bion, -biont, -bius, -biosis, -bium, -biotic, -biotical

(Greek: life; living, live, alive)

Don’t confuse this element with another bi- which means "two".

The most important things in life are not things.

—Anonymous
biomicrudite
Biomicrite containing fragments or whole fossils greater than one millimeter in diameter.
biomimetic (adjective), more biomimetic, most biomimetic
Relating to a substance or process that uses the simulating of nature in man-made systems, products, etc.
biomimetics (pl) (used as a singular) (noun)
A branch of biology that uses information from biological systems to develop synthetic systems.
Biomimetics: Imitating Biological Processes

Perspectives about how some scientists are utilizing the forces of nature through biomimetics or biomimesis; that is, mimicking nature with technology.

Don't confuse this field of science with a similar term known as biometrics.

biomimicry, bio-mimicry
1. Manufacturing principles and practices that are similar to natural materials or processes.
2. Imitating nature in man-made systems or an attempt to mold technology on nature.

See an extended example of biomimicry by going to this Velcro page.

biomineralization
1. The process by which organisms produce skeletal structures containing crystalline or amorphous inorganic substances.
2. The production of partly or wholly mineralized internal or external structures by living organisms.

Organisms use a wide variety of minerals to make their skeletons, including silica, apatite, and several polymorphs of carbonate, in particular aragonite and calcite.

It is unclear, however, why different taxa evolved to use one mineral rather than another. Lineages rarely switched their mineralogy after acquiring skeletons, suggesting that, for most taxa, ambient seawater chemistry does not strongly influence skeletal mineralogy.

Mineralization of most animal skeletons is biologically controlled, occurring in an environment isolated from seawater. As a result, seawater chemistry does not have a direct influence on the mineralogy of most animal skeletons the way it does for biomineralizers that induce mineralization directly from seawater.

—Excerpts from "Seawater Chemistry and Early Carbonate Biomineralization"
by Susannah M. Porter, Science, June 1, 2007; page 1302.
biomodeling
The mathematical modeling of biological reactions or the scientific discipline of building advanced mathematical models of biochemical systems.
biomolecule
1. A compound that occurs as a component of a living organism, such as a protein or nucleic acid.
2. A molecule of a compound produced by or important to a biological organism.
3. A molecule which is a part of the protoplasm.
biomonitoring
In the environment, a method of testing water quality at a site by using living organisms.
biomore
An arrangement of biomolecules to form a structure in a cell.
biomorph
1. A nonrepresentational form or pattern that resembles a living organism in shape or appearance.
2. A decorative form or object resembling a living organism.
3. A graphical representation of an organism generated on a computer.
biomorphic
1. A reference to a decorative form representing a living object.
2. A life form often used in primitive art.
biomorphism
biomort, biomortia
The dying of a living organism.
biomotor
An apparatus for producing artificial respiration.
Quiz If you would like to take a series of self-scoring quizzes over some of the words in this bio- unit, then click this Life, Live, Living Quiz link so you can check your knowledge. You may also try several additional quizzes in this listing.

Related life, live-word units: anima-; -cole; vita-; viva-.