Prologue Biology and the Molecular Perspective

Learning Outcomes You will be able to: Discuss the importance of biology and biotechnology in everyday life. Relate the problem solving methods of science to the development of a theory of evolution. Summarize Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection. Recognize the difference between pseudoscience and true science.

What is Biology? Bio- -logy

The New Biology P.1 Biology in Your World Possibly the most influential science of the 21st century. Why? Think about the following: Should your genetic sequence be available to insurance companies? Does a family history of cancer guarantee you will have cancer? In order to answer these, you must understand living organisms on a molecular basis.

P.2 A Biological View of Aids AIDS is caused by a virus that infects a cell in the immune system. As the virus destroys the cell, the immune response is also destroyed. The virus actually copies itself inside the infected cells and then becomes a part of the cells’ genetic material. Therefore, to treat, there needs to be a molecular understanding of the virus and cells. In the future there may be a development of a vaccine.

Explore the application of biology to crucial issues in the world today: drugs, pollution, overpopulation, birth control, abortion, the right to die, test-tube babies, genetic engineering, the rebuilding of humans, and the conquest of diseases. Pick one of the above biological issues or something else that interests you and come to the next class with CURRENT information regarding the issue. Be prepared to discuss!

The Methods of Science P. 4 Solving Problems Problem solving combines knowledge of a situation and new observations. This allows for evaluation of a problem. In science, problem solving is based on interpretation of data. The scientific method helps determine how to solve a problem.

Observation Assignment Watch the following video. Record any behaviors you see the animals exhibit. Explain why those animals might be exhibiting those behaviors. Lobsters!

Scientific Method

Lab Safety

Microscope

Something to Think About "If humans evolved from monkeys, then why are there still monkeys?" Welllll..... 1. Humans did not evolve from monkeys. 2. Rather, humans and monkeys share a common ancestor. 3. There are still monkeys because, like humans, they are descended from successful ancestors. 4. And if you go back far enough, all species are derived from a common ancestor. Mushrooms don't evolve into pine trees. Fish don't evolve into amphibians. Frogs don't evolve into reptiles. Reptiles don't evolve into birds. Birds don't evolve into mammals. All living things give birth to things that are--more or less--fairly similar to themselves. Evolution proceeds by incremental changes to the raw material that's already present in any given population of organisms. It is a process of gradual "remodeling" of a body plan by both random events and natural selection.

P. 5 A Mechanisms for Evolution: Science at Work How do diverse forms of animals arise? Observations allowed scientists to create a theory that there are observable differences between modern organisms and fossils.

How does evolution occur though? Jean Baptiste Lamarck propose that the environment produced a need for change. This idea now needed to be evaluated through use of a hypothesis.

100 years later, Darwin began asking questions also. If Earth has had a long history of change, what was it like before now? Could it have supported the diversity of life it has now? What other forms of life might have lived before now. Darwin used existing data and his own observations to formulate answers to these questions.

P. 6 The Theory of Natural Selection Based on research, Darwin publishes The Origin of Species. His theory states that new forms of life are produced by means of natural selection. He also determines that traits that increase chances of survival and reproduction are called adaptations. Darwin also observed naturally occuring variations.

Assignment: Descent with Modification Darwin proposed that related organisms share a common ancestor. They can share a great number of characteristics, but can also show differences. From the following pick one: Darwin’s finches Chimpanzees and gorillas Weasel and fox Cat and whale

Arithmetic and Geometric Growth Thomas Malthus was an economist who also provided Darwin with some observations. Not all organisms live long enough to reproduce because of limited resources and other environmental factors. This keeps populations in check.

Assignment: Graphing Population Growth

Science as a Way of Knowing P. 7 Scientific Perspectives Characteristics defining of science: Based on the assumption that the natural world can be investigated and explained in terms we understand. Science is based on the results of observations and controlled experiments. The results of these observations and experiments must be repeatable and verifiable by other scientists. The findings of science must be refutable.

P. 8 Your Role as a Biologist As you deal with biological issues, ask yourself the following: What is the question? What are the data and how were they obtained? What do the data mean? Who is reporting the data? How complete is the present state of knowledge? Is our knowledge about a subject sufficient to answer the question?

Reading Scientific Text The Challenge of Siphonous Green Algae Peter S. Vroom and Celia M. Smith (2001)