Anthropology is the systematic and scientific study of humanity in all its aspects, aiming to understand human evolutionary origins, biological traits, cultural diversity, social behaviors, and linguistic variations across time and space. It explores both what humans share as a species and the wide range of cultural and social differences among human groups worldwide

. The nature of anthropology is interdisciplinary, bridging natural sciences and humanities. It investigates human beings biologically (evolution and physical traits), culturally (beliefs, practices, social organization), linguistically (language and communication), and historically (archaeological remains and past societies)

. Anthropology is typically divided into four or five main subfields:

• Sociocultural Anthropology: Studies cultural meanings, social patterns, inequality, and processes of cultural change and social transformation in contemporary and historical societies

• Biological (Physical) Anthropology: Examines human evolution, genetics, physiology, and primate behavior to understand human biological development and variation

• Archaeology: Investigates material remains of past cultures to reconstruct historical lifeways and cultural evolution

• Linguistic Anthropology: Explores how language shapes social life and cultural identity

• Psychological Anthropology: Sometimes included, focusing on the relationship between culture, social structures, and individual psychology

Anthropology is unique in its holistic approach, studying humans "across time and space," meaning it considers both present-day and ancient humans, across all geographic regions and cultural contexts. It seeks to understand both differences and commonalities among humans, emphasizing cultural relativism- the idea that cultures should be understood on their own terms without hierarchical judgments

. In summary, the nature of anthropology is a broad, integrative discipline dedicated to comprehensively understanding humanity's biological and cultural dimensions, past and present, through multiple interconnected perspectives and methods.