Download What is Biology? - Winona State University

What is Biology?
The study of life
Biology is Relevant
• Global problems are often Biological
Problems
Medicine
Bioengineering
Environment
Biology can be Controversial
If I choose to limit my family size, what
methods of birth control do I use?
Is it right to protect an endangered species
at the expense of jobs?
Is it ethical to use fetal tissue in biomedical
research?
Are there dangers in cloning humans?
Are irradiated foods safe to eat?
What is Life?
Give your own definition
Living Organisms:
• Are highly organized, complex entities
• are composed of one or more cells
• contain a blueprint of their
characteristics
• acquire and use energy
• carry out and control numerous chemical
reactions
• produce offspring similar to themselves
• respond to changes in the environment
• may evolve into new types of organisms
Inanimate objects
may possess some
of these
characteristics, but
not all of them.
Biology is a Branch of Science
• Biology, physics, chemistry, geology, etc.
are branches of science
• All branches:
– pursuit of information
– bodies of knowledge
– have unique features/attributes
Study of Life Has Unique Questions
Question #1: “What happens when you
push a stationary ball?”
Question #2: “What happens when you
push a sleeping dog?”
Physical sciences are deterministic
Action A leads to Response B
Biology is probabilistic
Action A leads to Response B, C, D or E
with each having W, X, Y and Z
probabilities of occurring
Disciplines of Biology
The disciplines of biology are all
interrelated and should not be
viewed as separate, independent
entities.
Key Course Concept
The living world is a hierarchy, with
each level of biological structure
building on the level below it.
Hierarchy of
Life
Major Theories of Biology
• Evolution by Natural Selection
T. Dobzhansky (geneticist)
“Nothing in biology makes sense
except in the light of evolution”
Major Theories of Biology
• Evolution by Natural Selection
• Inheritance
– Gregor Mendel’s experiments leading
to the discovery of hereditary “factors”
(genes)
Major Theories of Biology
• Evolution by Natural Selection
• Inheritance
• Cell Theory
Major Theories of Biology
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Evolution by Natural Selection
Inheritance
Cell Theory
Biological Classification
– Carolus Linnaeus’ system of nomenclture
– Scientific names unique to a species
– Hierarchical system based on relatedness
Italicized
Scientific
Name
Major Theories of Biology
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Evolution by Natural Selection
Inheritance
Cell Theory
Biological Classification
Bioenergetics
– energy that powers life
– operates under same rules that govern
energy in the inanimate universe
Major Theories of Biology
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Evolution by Natural Selection
Inheritance
Cell Theory
Biological Classification
Bioenergetics
Homeostasis
– organisms function best under narrow range
of conditions
– maintain stable internal conditions
– allows organism to live in a wider range of
conditions
Major Theories of Biology
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Evolution by Natural Selection
Inheritance
Biological Classification
Bioenergetics
Homeostasis
Ecosystem
– organisms interact with each other and their
environment
– “Entangled Bank”
How is Biology/Science Studied?
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Observation
Questioning
Hypothesis
Testing
Explanation
These topics comprise the Scientific
Method
Observation
“Seeing” and recognizing
something that is of interest,
concern, or a curiosity
Questioning
• Asking “why does this happen”, “how
does this work”, etc.
• Is it a testable question?
– If yes, then it is a question that fits the
scientific method
Testing
• Develop a study or experiment that will
test the hypothesis
• Should have sound experimental design
• Should be repeatable
Explanation
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Interpretation of findings
Was the hypothesis rejected?
How do findings relate to those of others?
What is the significance of the findings?
Hypothesis
• A preliminary answer
– previous experience
– published information
– best guess
• A hypothesis does not have to be correct
• Scientific investigation attempts to falsify
a hypothesis
Report Your Findings!!!!
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Graphically
Numerically
Written
Orally