KEY CONCEPT Understanding biology can help you make informed decisions.

SC.912.L.16.10* Evaluate the impact of biotechnology on the individual, society and the environment, including medical and ethical issues. (HIGH)

Knowledge of biology helps you understand your health. food allergies Your health and the health of the environment depend on your knowledge of biology. Knowledge of biology helps you understand your health. food allergies potential effects of obesity Personal health and lifestyle choices—Issues include diet, obesity, exercise, smoking, alcohol and other drugs, cancer prevention

Knowledge of biology helps you understand your health. food allergies potential effects of obesity cancer effects of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs brain lungs heart liver kidneys As compared with nonsmokers, smokers have much lower levels of an enzyme called monoamine oxidase through out their body red is high levels purple is lowest.

Knowledge of biology can help you understand environmental issues. interactions in ecosystems pollution biodiversity Deformities in frogs can be an indication of chemical pollution in an ecosystem. Environment and society—Issues include interaction between environment and humans, political, legal, economic considerations

Biotechnology offers great promise but also raises many issues. Biotechnology is the use and application of living things and biological processes. Biotechnology is being used in the search sources, such as shown in this bioreactor that used algae to produce hydrogen gas or alternative energy Benefits—food production, medical advances, improved crop yields, detection of genetic disorders, forensic science Biotechnology is being used in the search sources, such as shown in this bioreactor that used algae to produce hydrogen gas or alternative energy

Biotechnology is the use and application of living things and biological processes. DNA testing in medicine and forensics transgenic (genetically modified) crops transgenic bacteria

Questions are raised about the use of biotechnology. safety of genetically modified crops spread of undesirable genes decrease in biodiversity ethical considerations Ethical concerns—privacy of genetic testing, possible discrimination based on genetic screening, ethics of choosing characteristics of children, use of genetic information Risks—unknown long-term effects of genetically modified crops, safety of GM plants, possibility of decreasing biodiversity

Biology presents many unanswered questions. Over the past 50 years, biological knowledge has greatly increased. SEM magnification 20X Methane worms live in frozen methane gas at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico. Because some organisms can live in such extreme environments, some scientist hypothesize that life exists, or once existed on the planet mars.

There are still many questions to answer in biology. How are memories stored in the brain?

There are still many questions to answer in biology. How are memories stored in the brain? How do viruses mutate? surface proteins lipid envelope nucleic acid capsid Does life exist on planets other than Earth?