Biology is sometimes described as the study of life and living things. Perhaps the most magical thing in all of science is the way living creatures are born and live their lives. You may have experienced the birth of a baby brother or sister, or witnessed the birth of a litter of puppies. More likely, you may have planted a seed and waited for it to grow, celebrating the day when the tiny leaves first appeared above the dirt. In this chapter you will grow a pocket garden, make dyes from different plants, and watch microbes grow in rotting food.