Introduction to Biology: Cellular Respiration, Genetics, and Evolution

Study Notes

Biology

Biology is the branch of science concerned with the understanding of living organisms and their interactions with each other and their environments. It involves the study of various aspects of life, including molecular biology, developmental biology, genetics, ecology, and evolution.

Introduction to Biology

Biology is a broad field that encompasses various disciplines such as microbiology, molecular biology, developmental biology, physiology, genetics, ecology, systematics, behavior and ethology, neuroscience, paleontology, anatomy, and biochemistry. It seeks to understand the fundamental processes of life, from the cellular level up to entire ecosystems.

Cellular Respiration

Cellular respiration is the process by which organisms convert food into energy in order to carry out their daily functions. This process occurs within cells and consists of four stages: glycolysis (the breakdown of glucose), the citric acid cycle (also known as the Krebs cycle), the electron transport chain, and oxidative phosphorylation.

Genetics and Evolution

Genetics studies the inheritance patterns and variation of traits among individuals within species. The theory of evolution explains how species change over time through natural selection, genetic drift, gene flow, and mutation. Evolution has been supported by numerous lines of evidence including fossils, comparative anatomy, DNA sequence similarities, and computer modeling.

Human Evolution

Humans are part of the primate family and share about 90% DNA sequence identity with our closest living relatives like chimpanzees and bonobos. Humans evolved from a common ancestor with these species around six million years ago. Our unique characteristics have developed since then due to genetic changes, or alleles, that gradually became more frequent in human populations over generations.

Modern Trends in Biology

Today's bioscience research covers a wide range of topics, from understanding basic biological processes at the molecular scale to large-scale environmental issues. Some current areas of interest include:

Synthetic biology: An engineering approach to designing new biological systems or modifying existing ones for specific purposes, often using techniques like CRISPR gene editing.
Bioinformatics: The use of computational tools and methods to analyze and interpret biological data, particularly in the context of genomics and proteomics.
Neuroscience: The study of the nervous system, including brain function, neural coding, behavior, cognition, and psychiatry.
Ecological restoration: Efforts to restore degraded or disturbed ecosystems to improve their resilience and biodiversity.
Astrobiology: The search for signs of past or present life beyond Earth, as well as studying the origins of life on our planet.

Description

Explore the fundamental concepts of biology including cellular respiration, genetics, and evolution. Learn about how organisms convert food into energy, patterns of inheritance and variation of traits, and the mechanisms of species change over time through natural selection.