Introduction to Biology

Explore how our modern understanding of DNA is being used to improve human health, from developing drugs for previously intractable diseases to potentially correcting devastating genetic defects. This course examines both the groundbreaking science and the complex ethical questions surrounding its proper application. By the end of this course, you will be able to analyze the promise of new biotechnologies and weigh their societal impact and ethical considerations.

Discover how cells function as the fundamental unit of life by exploring their most critical systems. This course examines how membranes create a distinct internal environment, how cells generate and use energy, and how signaling molecules and receptors enable cellular communication. By the end of this course, you will be able to explain how these components work together to allow a cell to produce energy, interact with its environment, and communicate with other cells.

Explore the fundamental processes of sexual and asexual reproduction that allow life to continue, from the faithful cell division of mitosis to the creation of unique sex cells through meiosis. This course examines how cells control this division and how sexual reproduction generates the vast genetic diversity that is essential for natural selection to act upon. By the end of this course, you will be able to explain the mechanics of cell division and articulate why sexual reproduction serves as a powerful engine for creating diversity in the natural world.

Learn how DNA, the molecule of life, uses a precise set of processes to sustain the cell. This course breaks down the central dogma of molecular biology, exploring replication, which copies DNA; transcription, which accesses its genetic information; and translation, which uses that information to build essential proteins. You will also discover how the cell intelligently regulates which proteins are made to keep itself healthy. By the end of this course, you will be able to explain how DNA is replicated and expressed to maintain cellular function.

Discover how natural selection acts upon biodiversity to drive long-term changes in populations, a fundamental process of evolution. This course examines how advantageous traits are retained while others are lost, and how isolated populations can genetically diverge to become entirely new species. By the end of this course, you will be able to explain how the natural environment "selects" for certain traits and how this can lead to the formation of new, distinct species.

Discover how sexual reproduction creates the diversity of life by exploring the random assortment of chromosomes that occurs in every sex cell. This course demonstrates how understanding this process allows us to predict the traits of offspring and analyze our own genetic heritage through pedigree analysis. By the end of this course, you will be able to apply the principles of inheritance to trace genetic traits through a family lineage.

Examine the large-scale ecological forces that shape our world, from the complex interactions between organisms and their environment to the factors that determine population size and structure. This course applies these core principles to one of the most pressing questions of our time: how will living things respond to a rapidly changing global climate? By the end of this course, you will be able to analyze the intricate dynamics within an ecosystem and evaluate how populations might adapt to significant environmental shifts.