Biology is the science that seeks to understand the living world. Cells are the basic unit of life, enclosed by a barrier that separates it from its surroundings. Homeostasis is the process by which organisms maintain a stable internal environment. Sexual reproduction involves cells from two parents uniting to form the first cell of a new organism, while asexual reproduction involves a single parent reproducing alone. Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions through which an organism carries out life processes like building and breaking down materials. A stimulus is a signal to which an organism responds.