This intensive, 72-lecture course will give you the background and guidance to explore in depth the fundamental principles of how living things work—principles such as evolution by natural selection, the cellular structure of organisms, the DNA theory of inheritance, and other key ideas that will help you appreciate the marvelous diversity and complexity of life. You will explore living systems at all levels, from biological molecules to global ecosystems. Along the way, you will gain insight into some of the most pressing questions facing society:
* What does it mean to say that the human genome has been "sequenced," and why should we sequence the genomes of other species?
* How is an organism "genetically modified" or "cloned," and what are the benefits—or potential costs—of doing so?
* What are "stem cells," and how might they contribute to human health and welfare?
* Why is HIV/AIDS so difficult to treat?
* What will happen if vast tracts of tropical rainforest are cut down, and why does it matter that the temperature of the Earth is rising?