–
19th & 20th
centuries -Disease caused by pathogens
–
Today - Emphasis turning
to physiological malfunctions
–
Past diseases fatal – now
treated
•
Developed new corn plant
varieties
•
Genetically enhanced -
Resist pests & drought, cold tolerant
–
Could help alleviate world
hunger
–
Leveling will not be easy
or quick
–
Tough decisions – couples,
nations, beyond
–
Where put new cities, farms,
etc.?
–
Monitor & manage
existing wild areas
–
Will bridge gap between
biology & technology
–
New career opportunities
–
Family planning – birth
control?
–
How much $ to spend –
endangered species?
–
Biomedical research –
human fetal tissue ethical?
–
Irradiated food safe to
eat?
–
Dangers cloning animals?
Humans?
–
Are we playing God?
–
A way of understanding
nature
–
A human endeavor
–
Highly organized, complex
entities
–
Composed of one or more cells
–
Acquire and use energy
–
Carry out and control
numerous chemical reactions
–
Grow in size and change in
appearance and abilities
–
Maintain constant internal
environment
–
Produce offspring similar
to themselves
–
Respond to changes in
environments
–
May evolve into new types
of organisms
–
Organisms subject to laws
of physics and chemistry
–
Mathematics used to
analyze & interpret biological data
–
•
Evolution by natural selection
•
Inheritance
•
Cells
•
Biological Classification
•
Bioenergetics
•
Homeostasis
•
Ecosystems
–
Species change
over generations
–
Natural
selection is mechanism for change
•
Inheritance
– intimately connected with evolution
•
How are
traits inherited by offspring from parents?
•
Mendel’s
principles of inheritance apply to all organisms
–
Traits
passed from one generation to next via hereditary factors (genes)
•
All
organisms are composed of cells
•
All cells
come from pre-existing cells
•
The cell is
smallest unit capable of exhibiting all characteristics of life
•
Classified
living organisms by similarities/differences
•
Operates
according to rules that govern energy
•
Larger
context of physics & bioenergetics
•
Culminated
in understanding chemical reactions of cells (metabolism)
•
Internal
conditions maintained in narrow limits
–
External
toleration via stable internal conditions (organisms)
–
Stability
(homeostasis) maintenance constitutes study of physiology
•
Organisms
interact with each other & their environment
•
Changes in
biological community can alter other parts
–
Ecosystem
concept recognizes organisms do not exist alone
–
Can be
something entirely new
–
A new way of
looking at things, or
–
A
realization natural world is at odds with currently accepted ideas
–
Leads to
questions
–
–
Scientists
ask questions answered by experiment or observation of material universe
–
Biologists
use observation & experience to ask how or why something happens
•
Hypothesis –
tentative explanation, possible answer; always tentative & remain so until
rigorously tested
•
Systematic
observations
•
Controlled
experiments
•
Detailed
studies used to test hypotheses
•
Occupies
most of working scientist’s time
•
Begins when
scientist makes logical predictions based on hypothesis
•
A mature
hypothesis, one that has been tested
•
All
explanations subject to review & reconsideration when
–
New evidence
is presented or better explanations are proposed
•
Nonscientists
believe a theory is pure speculation, without practice or evidence
•
Scientists consider
a theory a demonstrable, or well established principle
•
Many
explanations in Biology are considered true