Lecture 1: The Human Brain and Consciousness

The process of assembling long-term memories into active use in working memory.

Methods of promoting long-term memory storage that increase the likelihood of information being remembered. These include immediate reinforcement, short study sessions over longer periods, and making the information relevant.

The initial step in responding to environmental stimuli, where sensory organs detect changes in the environment. Examples include light entering the eye, sound waves hitting the ear, or pressure on the skin.

The step where the nervous system processes and interprets sensory information, determining appropriate responses.

The final step in responding to environmental stimuli, where the nervous system sends signals to muscles or glands to produce an action.

The difference in the concentration of ions across a cell membrane, creating an electrical potential. This stored energy can be used to power cellular processes like the electron transport chain.

The measure of potential energy generated by separate electrical charges.

The electrical potential difference across a cell membrane.

The ability of living systems to maintain a stable internal environment despite external changes.

A hierarchy of organization where smaller components interact to form larger, more complex structures.

The process by which living organisms convert energy from their environment into usable forms.

The ability of living organisms to grow and increase in size and complexity.

The process by which living organisms change over time to adapt to their environment.

The ability of living organisms to respond to changes in their environment.

The process by which living organisms produce offspring.

The idea that new properties emerge at higher levels of organization that cannot be predicted from the properties of the individual components.

The process by which living organisms take in and use energy to maintain order and complexity.

The difficulty of defining life due to the existence of multiple perspectives and criteria.

A system where the behavior of the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The interactions between individual components create emergent properties.

A dynamic system that is very sensitive to initial conditions. Small changes in the beginning can lead to vastly different outcomes.

A feedback loop where the response reduces the initial stimulus, helping maintain stability.

A feedback loop where the response increases the initial stimulus, leading to amplification.

The principle that greater complexity arises with a larger number of interacting components.

The interactions within a complex system occur locally, between adjacent components, rather than globally.

The introduction of random elements can help explore new possibilities in a complex system.

The adaptation of populations over generations, driven by the slow accumulation of small changes.

The process of passing genetic information from one generation to the next, typically involving DNA.

A form of reproduction where a single organism produces offspring that are genetically identical to itself.

A form of reproduction where two parents contribute genetic material through specialized cells called gametes, creating offspring with unique combinations of genes.

Changes in the DNA sequence that can introduce new variations into a population. These changes are the primary source of genetic diversity.

The process of randomly combining genes from two parents during sexual reproduction, leading to offspring with unique genetic combinations.

A close interaction between two different species of organisms where at least one organism benefits from the association. Often both benefit, gaining advantages through their interdependence.

Both organisms benefit from their relationship.

The process of bacteria breaking down dead organic matter, releasing nutrients back into the environment.

The process by which bacteria convert nitrogen gas from the atmosphere into a form usable by plants.

A molecule found in the cell walls of bacteria that can help us distinguish between types.

A type of bacteria with a thick peptidoglycan layer in their cell wall. They are more susceptible to antibiotics.

A type of bacteria with a thin peptidoglycan layer in their cell wall. They are often more resistant to antibiotics.

A type of photosynthesis that produces oxygen as a waste product.

The process of growth that occurs when parts or particles adhere to accumulate on an existing surface/structure.

The separation of a planet's materials into distinct layers based on density and composition.

The ability of water molecules to stick together, causing surface tension.

The attraction of water molecules to other substances.

The ability of water to resist changes in temperature.

The reduction in temperature caused by the evaporation of water from a surface.

The ability of ice to have a lower density than liquid water.

The substance that is present in the greatest amounts and dissolves other substances.

The trait shared by organisms because of a common ancestor.

The rate at which a gene changes is extremely slow.

A hypothesis of possible evolutionary history, usually showing relationships between species.

A branching point on a phylogeny.

A trait, phenotype, or genotype represented on a phylogeny.

A group that contains a common ancestor and ALL of its living descendants.

Two groups that share a recent common ancestor.