Changes

The phrase rose in the 18th century to refer to the collection of information about plants and animals, which expanded with the discovery of new [[ecosystems]] and extensive [[fossil]] deposits.  It now encompasses diverse fields, including [[biology]], [[zoology]], [[paleontology]], [[botany]], etc.  It is typically observational and descriptive, rather than experimental, forming a blurry line between natural history and [[natural philosophy]].

The phrase rose in the 18th century to refer to the collection of information about plants and animals, which expanded with the discovery of new [[ecosystems]] and extensive [[fossil]] deposits.  It now encompasses diverse fields, including [[biology]], [[zoology]], [[paleontology]], [[botany]], etc.  It is typically observational and descriptive, rather than experimental, forming a blurry line between natural history and [[natural philosophy]].