What is the academic discipline that focuses on the study of living organisms?

The academic discipline that focuses on the study of living organisms is biology. This field encompasses various aspects of life, including the structure, function, growth, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy of living organisms. Biology plays a vital role in understanding the complex interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment, which is essential for fields such as medicine, ecology, and conservation.

In contrast, geology focuses on the Earth's physical structure and substance, the processes that create and change it over time, and the history of life as recorded in rocks. Chemistry deals with the composition, structure, properties, and changes of matter, while physics studies the fundamental principles of the universe, including matter, energy, and the forces that govern their interactions. Each of these disciplines has its unique focus, but biology is specifically centered on life forms and their interactions, making it the correct choice for this question.