Biology is the study of life. As we’ve learned, this field covers a broad scope of subjects. As you progress through this course, you’ll gain the knowledge you need to make informed decisions. Let’s think back to the articles Cristina encountered at the beginning of this module: how could a knowledge of biological principle help with her understanding of each article?
Think about It
Cristina read an article about some of the world’s weirdest animals. What biological principle would help her understand why these animals have the features they do?
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By learning about evolution and natural selection, Cristina could begin to see the different evolutionary reasons behind the extreme features some animals have. For example, the aye-aye, a mammal native to Madagascar, has evolved to have an extra long middle finger, which it can use to dig grubs out of trees. We’ll learn more about how these types of traits are selected for in the module “Theory of Evolution.”
The next article Cristina read talked about GMOs (genetically modified organisms) and the risks they have. What biological principle would help her understand the potential risks of genetically modified foods?
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In order to understand potential risks of GMOs, Cristina will need to first understand the science behind these foods. How are GMOs created? We’ll learn more about this in the module “Modern Biology.”
Cristina then looked at an article about the paleo diet. What biological principle would help her understand the pros and cons of an extreme diet?
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In order to survive, humans require specific nutrients. While we won’t get into too much depth about nutrition in this course, we will learn about different biological macromolecules. These macromolecules include categories you may recognize, like proteins, lipids (more commonly called fats), and carbohydrates. In that module, we’ll learn about the roles these molecules play in our bodies—we’ll learn the essential functions they perform. With this knowledge, Cristina could better decide what she should or shouldn’t remove from her diet.