What Biologists Do: Crash Course #3

Study Notes

Life can be found in extreme places on Earth, such as toxic high-pressure vents at the bottom of the ocean and Hot Springs acidic enough to dissolve metal.
Biologists have explored these extreme environments to study life forms like tube worms and microbes.
Biology is the study of life, ranging from mushrooms to Manta Rays, and it requires diverse thinkers to apply findings to everyday life.
Biologists work in various settings including research institutes, universities, museums, pharmaceutical companies, and government agencies.
They conduct research in fields like conservation, genetics, population ecology, and entomology to understand and protect species like wild salmon.
Biologists need data literacy to analyze DNA, water samples, and organism numbers, ensuring accurate and consistent data collection.
Notable biologists like Stephanie Blair have made significant contributions, such as identifying toxic chemicals in urban waterways affecting salmon populations.- George Washington Carver conducted scientific research to help poor farmers by experimenting with crop rotation strategies on nutrient-starved fields in the U.S. South.
Carver's experiment involved planting different crops like peanuts, peas, and soybeans to restore nitrogen to the soil and make it healthy again.
He invented hundreds of uses for alternative crops, such as the first soy-based non-dairy cheese, and widely publicized his crop rotation methods to help rebuild soil and communities.
Model organisms, also known as supermodels of science, are extensively studied species like mice, rats, zebrafish, nematodes, fruit flies, and Arabidopsis to understand biological processes that apply to other organisms.
Model organisms need to be easy to raise, keep, and manage in large numbers, making them ideal for studying diseases, genetics, and the interconnectedness of all life forms.