pt. I. Cells 1. The cell Our common ancestor Chemicals to cells The two types of cells Basic cell structure Membranes Cytoplasm Genetic material 2. How the first cells emerged on Earth Carbon The first organic molecules How chemicals lead to life Amino acids and proteins Protein structure Ribonucleic acid (RNA) Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) The first cell 3. The prokaryotic cell Bacteria and archaea Inside prokaryotes Outside prokaryotes Diversity in prokaryotes Extremophiles Cyanobacteria The domains of living things 4. The eukaryotic cell The first eukaryotes What is an organelle? Protists Algae Diatoms Water molds, white rusts, and downy mildews Protozoa Algae lead to the first green plants 5. How your cells work Biological membranes Lipid bilayer How substances go through membranes Energy generation in membranes How membranes help cells communicate Mitochondria The nucleus Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Golgi apparatus Other parts of your cells Peroxisomes Lysosomes 6. How cells communicate Chemotaxis Quorum sensing Multicellular organisms Cell signaling Neurons Controlling gene expression pt. II. Energy 7. Introduction to metabolism Enzymes How enzymes run chemical reactions Coenzymes Regulating enzymes Anabolism and catabolism Equilibrium ATP : the cell's energy currency How ATP stores energy How ATP performs work How ATP regenerates 8. Respiration How we get energy from organic fuel Glycolysis Krebs cycle=citric acid cycle=tricarboxylic acid cycle Electron transport Phosphorylation : big word and big meaning Oxygen Respiration's ATP output 9. Fermentation Getting energy without using oxygen Types of fermentation Alcohol fermentation Lactic acid fermentation Mixed acid fermentation 10. Photosynthesis Photosynthetic organisms Cyanobacteria Chloroplasts Light and photosynthetic pigments Photosynthesis in bacteria Photosynthesis' two stages Light reactions Dark reactions pt. III. Basics of genetics 11. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and chromosomes Your cells' DNA Complementary strands The genetic alphabet What is a gene? How DNA replicates Chromosomes How chromosomes control the traits you inherit 12. The cell cycle Cell division Cell division in prokaryotes Cell division in eukaryotes Mitosis The importance of cell cycles A typical cell cycle How nature controls cell cycles Cancer : when the cell cycle goes out of control 13. Genetic information travels from genes to proteins What does gene expression mean? RNA's job in transcription RNA's job in translation The genetic code Other components of gene expression Protein : the final product 14. Genetics and inheritance Heredity, genetics, and inheritance Mendelian genetics Law of segregation Law of independent assortment Following traits through generations Recessive and dominant traits How genes are linked on chromosomes Sex-linked genes

pt. IV. Adaptation and evolution 15. Mutation and other genetic errors What is mutation? Types of mutation What causes mutations? Mutation rate How mutation leads to adaptation An introduction to natural selection 16. Evolution and extinction Even the theory of evolution evolved! Catastrophism Gradualism Lamarck's ideas on evolution Darwin's theory of evolution The origin of species The relationship between evolution and biodiversity Extinction Types of extinction 17. How we organize species Phylogeny, systematics, and taxonomy! Oh my! How hierarchies work Domains Kingdoms A taxonomist's life How humans fit into taxonomy pt. V. Prokaryotes, eukaryotes, and viruses 18. Single-celled organisms : bacteria and archaea Archaea Sulfur users Methane producers Halophiles Archaea without cell walls Bacteria Photosynthetic bacteria Proteobacteria Spirochetes Purple and green sulfur and nonsulfur bacteria Mycobacteria Micoplasma 19. Algae, protists, and fungi Algae Protists Slime molds Fungi Multicellular fungi Mushrooms MOlds Yeasts 20. Viruses Meet a virus Bacteriophages : viruses that attack bacteria Virus size How we classify viruses How viruses infect The lytic cycle of virus infection The lysogenic cycle of virus infection Viral diseases Other nonliving particles in biology Viroids Prions pt. VI. Complex animals 21. Invertebrates Characteristics of early organisms Sponges : exceptions to the animal body plan Invertebrates that do not look like animals Invertebrates that look like animals Chordata 22. The animal body : the nervous system and circulation Tissue structure and function Epithelial tissue Muscle tissue Connective tissue Nerve tissue Body metabolism : how it all works together Ecotherms and endotherms Thermoregulation The nervous system Neurons and glia The circulatory system Open and closed circulatory systems Blood vessels Blood 23. The animal body : the endocrine, immune, and sensory systems The endocrine system Endocrine glands Hormones Pheromones The immune system Components of the immune system Cells of the immune system Antibodies Natural immunity Acquired immunity The sensory system Types of sensory receptors Components of the sensory system 24. The basics of animal reproduction Reproductive cycles Asexual reproduction in animals Fertilization Parts of the female reproductive system Parts of the male reproductive system Breeding

VII. Plants

25. The plant body and plant growth

Plant diversity

Early plant life

Mosses

Ferns

Vascular plants

Anatomy of a plant

Roots

Stems

Leaves

26. Seeds and plant life cycles

What is a plant life cycle?

Seeds

Why seeds are important to us

Life cycle of seed plants

27. Flowers, fruits, and pollination

Parts of a flower

Carpels

The stigma

Stamens

Other parts of a flower

Classifying flowers

Pollination

Insects and pollination

Fruits

An angiosperm life cycle

28. Plant sensory and defense systems

Nature's stimuli sensed by plants

Plant hormones

Fruit growth and ripening

Types of plant defenses

Plant defenses against herbivores

Plant defenses against pathogens

pt. VIII. Environment and ecology

29. Environments

The Earth's environments

Soil environments

Water environments

Ecosystems

30. Ecology

How humans fit into Earth ecology

Human activities and ecology

How species interact

Nutrients cycle through Earth's ecosystems

Prey and predators

Biodiversity

Biodiversity and ecosystems

Climate and biodiversity

Deforestation and desertification

31. Biodiversity

The world's biodiversity hotspots

Endemism

Ways of protecting biodiversity

Threats to biodiversity

The value of biodiversity

Indicator species

32. Today's biology

Different types of biology

Molecular biology

Genomics

Proteomics

Conservation biology

33. The new frontiers in disease fighting

How new technologies are developed

Biotechnology

Today's new technologies in disease fighting

Biologics

Gene therapy

Which diseases will new technologies target first?

34. How to understand biology in the news

How scientists talk

Knowing a little statistics can't hurt

How to spot junk science

Our perception of biology

Glossary.