Biology Intro 1

Name: Biology Intro 1
Rating: 3.6 (2 reviews)

General Biology with discussion on reproduction, genetics, animal biology, plant biology, cell biology, and microbiology

Created byWilliam Lynch

Last updated 6/2025

English

English [Auto],

What you'll learn

1. Apply the scientific method to problems encountered in everyday life
2. Provide examples of the historic development of current scientific thought
3. Demonstrate basic skills of metric measuring, data collection, data interpretation, and microscope use.
4. Interpret simulations of biological systems and relate them to concrete applications
5. Describe basic concepts in the field of chemistry and biochemistry
6. Describe plant structures and functions including reproductive biology, development, and regulation of systems.
7. Identify the internal and external structures of both the prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and define the functions of each
8. Recognize energy pathways such as photosynthesis, respiration, and overall cellular metabolism
9. Describe the basic processes of mitosis and meiosis and relate them to the life cycle of organisms.
10. Summarize the mechanisms of inheritance and the processes by which protein and DNA are synthesized
11. Describe the major principles of genetics and biotechnology
12. Understand the mechanisms of natural selection and their impact on evolution
13. Identify major ecological concepts such as communities, energy flow and nutrient cycling, and renewable and non-renewable resources
14. Describe the general properties and characteristics of the biological kingdoms
15. Survey the structure and functions of physiological systems of the animal kingdom
16. Apply the scientific method and the knowledge gained from the course to global societal concerns.

Course content

2 sections • 14 lectures • 5h 56m total length

Introduction and Scientific Method32:13
Explore biology's scope from atoms to ecosystems, covering cells, metabolism, homeostasis, reproduction, evolution, viruses, taxonomy, and the scientific method.
Natural selection and evolution38:16
Explore evidence of evolution through fossils, DNA, and biogeography, and see how natural selection, genetic variation, and continental drift drive speciation, homologous structures, and vestigial traits across Earth's history.
Cell structure and function37:55
Explore the microanatomy of cells, from the cell theory to organelles and membranes, comparing prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, and highlighting microscopes, transport, and plant–animal differences.
Speciation and Extinction29:45
Explore how speciation and extinction drive evolution, with examples of allopatric and sympatric speciation, reproductive barriers, and hybrid outcomes. Learn the taxonomic hierarchy and cladistic concepts that organize life's diversity.
Aerobic and anaerobic respiration30:34
Analyze cellular metabolism, from aerobic and anaerobic respiration to glycolysis, pyruvate oxidation, and the Krebs cycle, and compare photosynthesis and fermentation in prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
Animal and Plant Reproduction35:03
Explore patterns of inheritance and heritability across animals and plants, including Mendel's pea experiments, genotype versus phenotype, Punnett squares, and Mendel's laws of segregation and independent assortment.
Division and Life Cycle28:19
Explore sexual and asexual reproduction, meiosis, and how crossing over and recombination create genetic variation leading to haploid gametes and a diploid zygote.
Chemistry of Living Things36:43
Explore how chemistry underpins carbon-based living systems, from atoms and bonds to water's properties, pH, and the four major macromolecules—carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids.
Genetics35:15
Explore dna structure, transcription and translation, and how mutations shape genotype and phenotype, including lac operon, rna types, and viral replication mechanisms.

Virus Short7:14
Viruses are infective, usually nonliving obligate intracellular parasites that require a host cell to replicate, with a capsid–envelope–tegument–nucleocapsid structure and three origin hypotheses.
Vaccine Tutorial8:23
Learn how vaccines prime the adaptive immune system with synthetic or weakened pathogens, triggering antibodies and cell-mediated immunity, and how booster shots sustain protection.
Scientific Method12:08
Explore the scientific method and experimental design by observing, asking questions, formulating a hypothesis, and planning valid, reproducible experiments with independent and dependent variables, controls, and data-driven conclusions.
Virus Replication Cycle15:42
Explore the five-step viral replication cycle—attachment, penetration, synthesis, assembly, and release—covering bacteriophage entry, endocytosis, envelope fusion, and the lytic and lysogenic pathways.
Protein Metabolism9:19
Explore protein metabolism from digestion into amino acids and deamination to the citric acid cycle for energy, and compare essential versus nonessential amino acids, nitrogen balance, and dietary protein sources.

Requirements

No prior education needed. This is designed to give a foundational knowledge of biology in nature and in human subjects.

Description

This course is designed to Introduce the basic concepts of life. Includes discussion of cellular and organismal biology, genetics, evolution, ecology, and interaction among all living organisms. Addresses applications of biology in a global community.

MAJOR COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

Apply the scientific method to problems encountered in everyday life.
Provide examples of the historic development of current scientific thought.
Demonstrate basic skills of metric measuring, data collection, data interpretation, and microscope use.
Interpret simulations of biological systems and relate them to concrete applications.
Describe basic concepts in the field of chemistry and biochemistry.
Describe plant structures and functions including reproductive biology, development, and regulation of systems.
Identify the internal and external structures of both the prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and define the functions of each.
Recognize energy pathways such as photosynthesis, respiration, and overall cellular metabolism.
Describe the basic processes of mitosis and meiosis and relate them to the life cycle of organisms.
Summarize the mechanisms of inheritance and the processes by which protein and DNA are synthesized.
Describe the major principles of genetics and biotechnology.
Understand the mechanisms of natural selection and their impact on evolution.
Identify major ecological concepts such as communities, energy flow and nutrient cycling, and renewable and non-renewable resources.
Describe the general properties and characteristics of the biological kingdoms.
Survey the structure and functions of physiological systems of the animal kingdom.
Apply the scientific method and the knowledge gained from the course to global societal concerns.

COURSE CONTENT: Topical areas of study include –

Scientific method Basic inorganic and organic chemistry principles

Animal biology

Cell cycle and the mechanisms of molecular genetics

Plant biology

Natural selection and evolution

Biotechnology

Cell structure and function

Genetics

General process of energy transformation: enzyme function,

Ecology

photosynthesis, aerobic and anaerobic respiration

Phylogeny

World issues and their effects on the field of biology

Who this course is for:

Science students, majors, or those interested in furthering their education.

Biology Intro 1

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Introduction9 lectures • 5hr 4min

Biology Tutorials5 lectures • 53min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: