Scientific American Biology for a Changing World

Michèle Shuster, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the biology department at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico. She focuses on the scholarship of teaching and learning and teaches introductory biology, microbiology, and cancer biology classes at the undergraduate level, as well as working on several K–12 science education programs. Michèle is involved in mentoring graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in effective teaching, preparing the next generation of undergraduate educators. Janet Vigna, Ph.D., is a professor in the biology department at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan. She is a science education specialist in the Integrated Science Program, training and mentoring K–12 science teachers. Janet has 18 years of undergraduate teaching experience, with a special interest in teaching biology effectively to nonmajors. She has recently been recognized with the GVSU Outstanding Teacher Award. Matthew Tontonoz is a science writer and independent scholar living in Brooklyn, New York. For ten years, he was a development editor for textbooks in biology before shifting his focus to writing. He is currently senior science writer at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where he covers advances in basic science and clinical cancer research. Matt received his B.A. in biology from Wesleyan University and his M.A. in the history and sociology of science from the University of Pennsylvania.     

UNIT 1 What Is Life Made Of? Chemistry, Cells, Energy.- 1. Process of Science.- 2. Chemistry of Life.- 3. Cell Structure and Function.- 4. Nutrition, Enzymes, Metabolism.- 5. Energy and Photosynthesis.- 6. Dietary Energy and Cellular Respiration. UNIT 2 How Does Life Reproduce? Cell Division and Inheritance.- 7. DNA Structure and Replication.- 8. Genes to Proteins.- 9. Cell Cycle and Cell Differentiation.- 10. Mutations and Cancer.- 11. Simple Inheritance and Meiosis.- 12. Complex Inheritance. UNIT 3 How Does Life Change over Time? Evolution and Diversity.- 13. Natural Selection and Adaptation.- 14. Nonadaptive Evolution and Speciation.- 15. Evidence for Evolution.- 16. Life on Earth.- 17. Prokaryotic Diversity.- 18. Eukaryotic Diversity.- 19. Human Evolution. UNIT 4 How Do Organisms Interact? Ecology.- 20. Population Ecology.- 21. Community Ecology.- 22. Ecosystem Ecology.- 23. Sustainability. UNIT 5 What Makes Plants Unique? Plant Biology.- 24. Plant Growth and Reproduction.- 25. Plant Physiology.