<p>The history of science can explain aspects in the context of science, showing the changing nature of science and enriching scientific knowledge. However, it has been reported that most university biology textbooks merely focus on conceptual aspects of biology. This study analysed text presentation in five university textbooks concerning the historical perspective of the lesson on photosynthesis. Notably, this work aimed to identify the history of science’s contribution to constructing the general model of the photosynthesis equation. The content analysis used biology, biochemistry, and plant physiology textbooks from editorial boards such as Editorial Médica Panamericana, Omega, W. H. Freeman and Company, and Universitat Jaume I. The results showed that textbooks exhibited different historical perspectives of photosynthesis, ranging from no historical content to detailed descriptions of discoveries. Curtis’s textbook illustrates very well how each discovery supplants a past erroneous idea, while simultaneously, every new finding can initially lead to a partial misinterpretation of results. On the other hand, all analysed textbooks consistently omitted foundational figures like Liebig and Nicholas of Cusa, underscoring a common pedagogical tendency to present scientific advancement as a linear accumulation of facts rather than dynamic conceptual shifts. These results highlight the teacher’s role in selecting diverse historical material, leveraging the history of science as a powerful tool to integrate the Nature of Science effectively.</p>