What is Biology

You are surrounded by life. Hopefully you have occasionally stopped to ponder the amazing aspects of the plants and animals you encounter. These organisms often live very different lives compared to your own. At the same time you would be surprised to know that these life forms have a lot in common.

Today is indeed an exciting time to study biology. Major changes are continuously occurring in the field. The frontiers of molecular biology are unraveling the mysteries of the influences of nature versus nurture and all that it encompasses (the consequences for the field of medicine alone are enormous). At the same time our planet is being burdened under the strong environmental pressures of a growing human population as well as the enormous use of its resources. Many other species and systems depend on the policies and priorities humans, as our actions have far reaching and tremendous effects.

This course will give you a foundation in the major principles of biology. This course will survey the diversity of life, the biology and inner-workings of cells, the structure and function of genes and the principles of heredity. We will examine evolution and the function of selected systems in organisms as well as various ecological concepts and environmental biology.