{"id":1085,"date":"2016-12-02T21:38:55","date_gmt":"2016-12-02T21:38:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-biology2\/?post_type=chapter&p=1085"},"modified":"2024-04-25T17:54:15","modified_gmt":"2024-04-25T17:54:15","slug":"putting-it-together-introduction-to-biology","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-biology2\/chapter\/putting-it-together-introduction-to-biology\/","title":{"raw":"Putting It Together: Introduction to Biology","rendered":"Putting It Together: Introduction to Biology"},"content":{"raw":"Biology is the study of life. As we've learned, this field covers a broad scope of subjects. As\u00a0you 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?\r\n
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Think about It<\/h3>\r\nCristina 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?\r\n\r\n[practice-area rows=\"4\"][\/practice-area]\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"775039\"]See Our Thoughts[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"775039\"]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 a later module.\r\n\r\n[\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\nThe next article Cristina read talked about GMOs (genetically modified organisms) and the risks they have.\u00a0What biological principle would help her understand the potential risks of genetically modified foods?\r\n\r\n[practice-area rows=\"4\"][\/practice-area]\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"781328\"]See Our Thoughts[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"781328\"]In order to understand potential risks of GMOs, Cristina will need to first understand the science behind these foods. How are GMOs created?\r\n\r\n[\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\nCristina then\u00a0looked at an article about the paleo diet. What biological principle would help her understand the pros and cons of an extreme diet?\r\n\r\n[practice-area rows=\"4\"][\/practice-area]\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"781326\"]See Our Thoughts[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"781326\"]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\u2014we'll learn the essential functions they perform. With this knowledge, Cristina could better decide what she should or shouldn't remove from her diet.[\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

Flashcards<\/h2>\r\nIt is tempting to view different topics as completely separate, but in fact the ideas we cover in this course are often connected to one another. If you don\u2019t retain the vocabulary from module to module, those connections can be missed. As you continue on, remember to come back and review the terms you\u2019ve learned in order to increase your depth of knowledge.\r\n\r\n