Sinopsis
What do biologists do?
Imagine being the first person to look into a microscopeand discover cells. What do you think it was like to find the first dinosaur fossils that indicated feathers? Who studies how organisms, including the marbled stargazer fish in Figure 1.2, obtain food? Will the AIDS virus be defeated? Is there life on other planets or anywhere else in the universe? The people who study biology—biologists—make discoveries and seek explanations by performing laboratory and field investigations. Throughout this textbook, you will discover what biologists in the real world do and you will learn about careers in biology.
Study the diversity of life Jane Goodall, shown in Figure 1.1, studied chimpanzees in their natural environments. She asked questions such as, “How do chimpanzees behave in the wild?” and “How can chimpan zee behaviors be characterized?” From her recorded and detailed observations, sketches, and maps of chimpanzees’ daily travels, Goodall learned how chimpanzees grow and develop and how they gather food. She studied and recorded chimpanzee reproductive habits and their aggressive nature. She learned that they use tools. Goodall’s data provided a better understanding of chimpanzees, and as a result, scientists know how to best protect them.
Research diseases Mary-Claire King also studied chimpanzees not their behavior but their genetics. In 1973, she established that the genomes (genes) of chimpanzees and humans are 99 percent identical. Her work currently focuses on unraveling the genetic basis of breast cancer, a disease that affects one out of eight women. Many biologists research diseases. Questions such as “What causes the disease?”, “How does the body fight the disease?”, and “How does the disease spread?” often guide biologists’ research. Biologists have developed vaccines for smallpox, chicken pox, and diphtheria, and currently, some biologists are researching the development of a vaccine for HIV. Other biologists focus their research on diseases such as diabetes, avian flu, anorexia, and alcoholism, or on trauma such as spinal cord injuries that result in paralysis. Biologists worldwide are researching new medicines for such things as lowering cholesterol levels, fighting obesity, reducing the risk of heart attacks, and preventing Alzheimer’s disease.
Develop technologies When you hear the word technology, you might think of high-speed computers, cell phones, and DVD players. However, technology is defined as the application of scientific knowledge to solve human needs and to extend human capabilities. Figure 1.3 shows how new technology a “bionic” hand can help someone who has lost an arm.
Content
- Ecology
- Principles of Ecology
- Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems
- Population Ecology
- Biodiversity and Conservation
- The Cell
- Chemistry in Biology
- Cellular Structure and Function
- Cellular Energy
- Cellular Reproduction
- Genetics
- Sexual Reproduction and Genetics
- Complex Inheritance and Human Heredity
- Molecular Genetics
- Genetics and Biotechnology
- History of Biological Diversity
- The History of Life
- Evolution
- Primate Evolution
- Organizing Life’s Diversity
- Bacteria, Viruses, Protists, and Fungi
- Bacteria and Viruses
- Protists
- Fungi
- Plants
- Introduction to Plants
- Plant Structure and Function
- Reproduction in Plants
- Invertebrates
- Introduction to Animals
- Worms and Mollusks
- Arthropods
- Echinoderms and Invertebrate Chordates
- Vertebrates
- Fishes and Amphibians
- Reptiles and Birds
- Mammals
- Animal Behavior
- The Human Body
- Integumentary, Skeletal, and Muscular Systems
- Nervous System
- Circulatory, Respiratory, and Excretory Systems
- Digestive and Endocrine Systems
- Human Reproduction and Development
- Immune System
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