Study of Life
Themes & Concepts
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Age of Earth
 About 4.5 bya
 Life about 4 bya (Prokaryotes)
 Photosynthesis about 2.7 bya
 Organelles about 1.5 bya
(Eukaryotes)
 About 1bya multicellular organisms
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Properties of life
order
reproduction
response
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growth &
development
energy
utilization
homeostasis
evolutionary
adaptation
Themes
 Science as a process of inquiry
 Evolution
 Energy transfer
 Continuity & Change
 Relationship of structure to function
 Regulation
 Interdependence in nature
 Science, technology & society
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Science as a process of inquiry
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Science as a process of inquiry
 repeatable observations
& testable hypothesis
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Observations include making
measurements
 Scientists use a variety of tools to gather and
analyze data.
Field journals are used to record data.
 Laboratory glassware and hot plates allow
scientists to set up experiments.
 Microscopes and hand lenses enhance the
senses.
 Rulers, balances, timing devices, and electronic
probeware are used to gather quantitative data.
 Computers are used to to calculate, analyze, and
report data.

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Observations include making
measurements
 Quantitative data are gathered through
measurement, using the modern metric system.


Accuracy is a description of how close a
measurement is to the true value of the quantity
measured.
Precision is the exactness of a measurement.
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Technology contributes to the
progress of science.
 A microscope provides an enlarged image of an object.
– light microscopes (LM)
– scanning electron microscopes (SEM)
– transmission electron microscopes (TEM)
stoma
stoma
sto
ma
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• Medical Imaging
– x-ray images
– magnetic
resonance
imaging (MRI)
 functional MRI
(fMRI)
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Complex systems: Computer Models
 Used to study systems that
Normal heartbeat
cannot be studied directly.




heart attacks
effect of medicines on the
human body
movement of water molecules
into and out of a cell
spread of a disease through a
population
 Used when experiments are
not safe, ethical, or practical.
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Heart attack
The tools of molecular genetics give rise to
new biological studies.
 A gene is a segment of DNA that stores
genetic information.
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 We can study genetics on a molecular level.
– molecular genetics
– genomics
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Evolution
 Core theme of biology
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Charles Darwin
Evolution
 Natural selection
 Evolutionary adaptation is a product of
natural selection
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Energy transfer
 Life is an open system
organisms continuously interact
with the environment
 stuff comes in
stuff goes out
 energy is used

Entropy rules!
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Energy utilization (fill in blanks)
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Heredity: Continuity & change
 Continuity of life is based on heritable
information in the form of DNA

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DNA – the genetic
material – carries
biological information
from 1 generation
to the next
Form follows function
 Structure & function are correlated at
all levels of biological organization
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Regulation
 Regulatory mechanisms ensure a
dynamic balance through feedback
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Ecology: Interdependence
 No organism is
an island standing
alone
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Science, technology & society
 Science & technology must function within
the framework of society

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ethics
Umbrella concepts
Recurring principles & ideas
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Diversity & unity
 Dual aspects of life on Earth
 With all of the diversity, what unifies all
of life?
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Unity of life
What do organisms have in common?
Why do similarities exist?
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Evolution explains diversity & unity
 Unity
pass information to the next generation
 evolutionary relationships
 connected through a common ancestory

 Diversity
natural selection
 adaptations in
different
environments

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Levels of organization
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Cell is basic unit of life
 Cell theory
developed
with early
microscopes
 prokaryotes
 eukaryotes

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Diversity of life
What differences are there
between organisms?
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Three Domains of Life
Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya
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Organizing systems
 Making sense out
of the diversity
 Hierarchical scheme
 Eg. Taxonomy and Binomial
Nomenclature
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Why study themes of Biology?
 Biology is an ever expanding body of
knowledge
too much to memorize it all
 need to generalize
 create a framework upon which to
organize new knowledge
 themes are fundamental in
understanding the nature of living
organisms

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Which science is growing the
fastest in new knowledge?
BIOLOGY!!
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Dr. Mary Claire King
Genomics
& proteomics
projects are
driving research
Any Questions??
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