1. Biology: Scientific Study of Life What is science? What is life?

2. Characteristics of Living Things 1. Living things are highly ordered (or organized). Atom Molecule Organelle Cell Tissue Organ Organ System Organism Population Community Ecosystem Biosphere

3. Characteristics of Living Things 2. Metabolism - living things must gather and use energy to maintain order. 3. Motility - self propelled motion 4. Responsiveness - response to their environment. (e.g. detect cold, heat, food, water, etc).

4. Characteristics of Living Things 5. Reproduction suite of mechanisms by which they give rise to new organisms. 6. Development - changes from conception to sexual maturity (and even to death). 7. Genes - units of inheritance composed of DNA. 8. Living things evolve - change over time. 9. Adaptiveness - over time genetic modifications that allow organisms to cope with their environment.

5. Two underlying principles critical to science 1) Causality - the occurrence of events is due to natural causes 2) Uniformity - the laws of Nature always have operated and always will operate in the same way

6. Scientific Reasoning 1. Inductive Reasoning - reaching a conclusion based upon a number of observations (going from the specific to the general). 2. Deductive Reasoning - one reasons from the general to the specific (analyzing specific cases based upon a pre-established general principle).

7. The Scientific Method 1. Ask a question 2. Propose a hypothesis 3. Make a prediction(s) 4. Test the prediction(s) 5. Draw Conclusions

8. Evolution by Natural Selection differential survival and reproduction of organisms in a population with different phenotypes resulting from interactions of the organism and its environment. Phenotype - physical, chemical, or behavioral traits of an organism. Genotype - genetic make-up

9. Premises of Natural Selection 1. Individuals in a population vary, however slightly 2. These variations can be inherited 3. Generally, members of a population produce more offspring than the environment can support 4. Individuals whose inherited characteristics fit them best to the environment are more likely to survive and leave more offspring 5. Over time, the favorable variations tend to accumulate in a population