Anthropology is the science of humanity, examining human life and variation in the different forms in which they are found. Anthropology considers the variety of customs, languages, and civilizations that go to make up humanity. Uniting diverse sciences such as biology and geology, with humanistic endeavors such as religious studies, philosophy, and history, anthropology has often been called the most scientific of the humanities and the most humanistic of the scientific disciplines. Modern nations use the knowledge that anthropology provides to understand their heritage, to serve the diverse peoples contained within their borders, and to find their place in the emerging global society. With its roots in 19 th century exploration, anthropology is entering the 21 st century making important contributions to human well-being, economic growth, and mutual understanding of peoples around the world.
Anthropology consists of a number of subfields, each of which examines a separate facet of humanity.
Archaeology is the study of the human past, examining early peoples and ancient civilizations through the physical remains they have left behind. Biological anthropology examines both human origins, and the physical variation of modern populations. By understanding our origins as a biological species, physical anthropology makes important contributions to improving human health, nutrition, and adaptation to diverse environments. Linguistic anthropology studies the diversity of human languages and styles of communication. Thousands of languages and dialects are found around the globe today.