Chapter 1: Biology - Exploring Life

Introduction

• Lecture Duration: 30-45 minutes
• Study Recommendations: Work through PowerPoint, read textbook, listen to lecture PowerPoint, ask questions

Introduction to Biology

• Example Organism: Red Pandas
  • Adapted to mountainous forests of Asia
  • Red and white camouflage coats
  • Long bushy tails for balance and warmth
  • Bony wrist projection for grasping bamboo
  • Classification: Reclassified into their own family

Chapter Overview

• Key Topics: Biology, the scientific study of life, the process of science, five unifying themes in biology, DNA structure

Properties of Life

• Characteristics: Must have order, reproduction, growth, energy processing, regulation, response to environment, evolutionary adaptation
• Cell: Simplest structural and functional unit of life
• Example: Lizard maintaining temperature by sunning on a rock

Diversity of Life

• Domains: Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya
  • Eukarya: Includes protists, fungi, plantae, animalia
  • Which domain do humans belong to? Eukarya
• Life’s Hierarchy of Organization: Biosphere > Ecosystem > Community > Population > Organism > Organs & Organ Systems > Tissue > Cells > Organelles > Molecules > Atoms

Process of Science

• Approach: Observations, hypotheses, predictions, testing, data analysis
• Hypotheses: Must be testable
• Variables: Independent (manipulated), Dependent (measured outcome)
• Control Group: Used for comparison
• Example Study: Mice camouflage and predation rates
  • Beach mouse vs. inland mouse in respective habitats

Hypotheses and Classification

• Red Pandas: Based on physical similarities, diet, and recent DNA studies reclassified into their own family
• Importance of Testing Hypotheses: Ensures testable explanations

Goals of Science vs. Technology

• Science: Understand natural phenomena
• Technology: Apply scientific knowledge for specific purposes
• Interdependence: Technological advances stem from scientific research and vice versa

Unifying Themes in Biology

1. Evolution

• Theory: By Charles Darwin, natural selection, survival of the fittest
• Evolutionary Tree: Red panda’s family history based on DNA data

2. Transmission and Use of Information

• DNA: Hereditary blueprint, protein synthesis
  • Adenine, Thymine, Cytosine, Guanine: DNA building blocks
  • Gene Expression: From DNA to RNA to proteins
• Example: Glucose level regulation by insulin

3. Structure and Function

• Correlation: Observed at molecular and cellular levels
  • Example: Hemoglobin’s oxygen transport, nerve cell extensions

4. Transfer and Transformation of Energy and Matter

• Energy Flow: Sunlight to chemical energy (plants) to consumers, exits as heat
• Matter Cycling: From atmosphere & soil through organisms and back
  • Decomposers: Return chemicals to soil
• Example: Photosynthesis uses sunlight to produce food which is then used by consumers

Systems Biology

• Emergent Properties: Result from interactions between system components
• Example: Assembled bicycle parts function as a bike

Study Tips

• Checkpoints: Use to test understanding
• Further Reading: Textbook, PowerPoint, ask questions

Conclusion

• Next Steps: See you for the next chapter