Unit 1 – Basics of Biology
Chapter & Title | Topics | Pages |
1 Life | What are the characteristics of life? | 1-7 |
2 Scientific Method | How does one establish an accurate hypothesis? | 8-18 |
3 Sorting Life | How does one organize the vast variety of life? | 19-27 |
4 Atoms & Bonds | Basic chemistry is needed for biology. | 28-39 |
5 Life Compounds | Organic chemistry for living organisms | 40-53 |
6 Cells | Cells are considered to be the basic unit of life. | 54-63 |
7 Design in Biology | Was there a designer of life or is it an illusion? | 64-71 |
Unit 2 – Survey of Living Things
8 Microscopy | What enables us to see very small living things? | 72-77 |
9 Prokaryotes | Single-celled bacteria and archaea | 78-87 |
10 Protista | A collection which may seem arbitrary | 88-96 |
11 Fungi | Among other functions, these are our recyclers | 97-106 |
12 Plants | Covers plants, photosynthesis and communication | 107-120 |
13 Invertebrates 1 | A “sponge” is not the same as a “leech”. | 121-129 |
14 Invertebrates 2 | Half of all animal organisms are in one class. | 130-142 |
15 Chordates 1 | Essentially wet animals with a notochord or spine | 143-155 |
16 Chordates 2 | More animals with a spine | 156-170 |
Unit 3 – Environment & Ecology
17 Our Galaxy | We live in a cosmos perfectly suited for us. | 171-178 |
18 Our Planet | “What a Beautiful World” | 179-193 |
19 Biosphere | What are biospheres and what kinds are there? | 194-205 |
20 Species Losses | Cautionary stories of delicate balances | 206-217 |
Unit 4 – A Closer Look at Cells
21 Cell Membrane | The gatekeeper & barrier | 218-224 |
22 Biologic Energy | Cellular respiration provides the energy for life. | 225-233 |
23 Energy & Action | Dramatic examples of cells harnessing energy. | 234-241 |
24 Genetics | Patterns of heredity | 242-256 |
25 DNA & RNA | The Intelligently Designed code | 257-269 |
26 RNA & Proteins | RNA’s, protein synthesis and gene expression | 270-277 |
27 Mitosis | Chromosomes and mitosis | 278-283 |
28 Meiosis | Meiosis and when it goes wrong | 284-292 |
Unit 5 – Noncellular Infectious Agents, Immunology & Biotechnology
29 Viruses | Non-cellular infectious agents | 293-302 |
30 Immunology | Defending the body from attack | 303-316 |
31 Biotechnology 1 | Exciting possibilities and potential ethical issues | 317-331 |
32 Biotechnology 2 | Stem cells & CRISPR | 332-343 |
33 Biotechnology 3 | Gene drives, cloning, making organs & life | 344-353 |
Unit 6 – Origins
34 Origin of Life | How did life get started? | 354-363 |
35 Evolution 1 | Charles Darwin, natural selection & mutations | 364-373 |
36 Evolution 2 | Paleontology & other issues | 374-388 |
37 Evolution 3 | Evolution of man and other fantasies | 389-402 |
Appendix
A1 | Productive study habits | i - vi |
A2 | Big & small numbers in Biology | vii - viii |
Glossary
Index
Credits