natural history
This term describes a descriptive science focused on the observation and classification of the physical world. It differs from biology or geology in that it emphasizes the cataloging of specimens and the recording of natural phenomena rather than the testing of hypotheses through controlled experimentation.
In a modern context, the term is frequently associated with museums and archives. While it refers to the broad study of nature, it is often used specifically to denote the study of extinct species and the evolutionary timeline of the Earth.
Meanings
The scientific study of organisms, including plants, animals, and fossils, typically based on observation rather than experimental science.
The museum's natural history wing contains an extensive collection of dinosaur skeletons.
The chronological record of the development and evolution of the natural world over geological time.
The book provides a comprehensive natural history of the mammals of the Pleistocene epoch.