Complete A-Z Biology Handbook


Book Description

FROM DAY ONE . . . TO THE NIGHT BEFORE YOUR EXAMS The A-Z Handbook explains all the key terms in Advanced Level Biology. Each entry begins with a clear definition and is followed by explanation and worked examples where relevant. The more important the term, the more detailed the entry. The A-Z format makes it exceptionally easy to use. The Complete A-Z Biology Handbook has been written to familiarise you with the language and terminology of Biology. It is useful from the first day of studying advanced Biology and Human Biology right through to the night before your exams. The Handbook is invaluable for students of all AS and A2 courses and will also be invaluable to University students. For new students - Biology terms and concepts are explained clearly During the course - the fuller explanation of more important or challenging concepts helps in tackling homework or coursework assignments For exam revision - detailed revision lists are provided to help focus your efforts, plus advice from a leading examiner Additional features include: ·Getting a Grade A ·hints on learning difficult terms and concepts ·revision tips ·revision lists for all core topics




Biology Is Technology


Book Description

“Essential reading for anyone who wishes to understand the current state of biotechnology and the opportunities and dangers it may create.” —American Scientist Technology is a process and a body of knowledge as much as a collection of artifacts. Biology is no different—and we are just beginning to comprehend the challenges inherent in the next stage of biology as a human technology. It is this critical moment, with its wide-ranging implications, that Robert Carlson considers in Biology Is Technology. He offers a uniquely informed perspective on the endeavors that contribute to current progress in this area—the science of biological systems and the technology used to manipulate them. In a number of case studies, Carlson demonstrates that the development of new mathematical, computational, and laboratory tools will facilitate the engineering of biological artifacts—up to and including organisms and ecosystems. Exploring how this will happen, with reference to past technological advances, he explains how objects are constructed virtually, tested using sophisticated mathematical models, and finally constructed in the real world. Such rapid increases in the power, availability, and application of biotechnology raise obvious questions about who gets to use it, and to what end. Carlson’s thoughtful analysis offers rare insight into our choices about how to develop biological technologies and how these choices will determine the pace and effectiveness of innovation as a public good.




A Dictionary of Biology


Book Description

Fully revised and updated for the seventh edition, this market-leading dictionary is the perfect guide for anyone studying biology, either at school or university. With more than 5,500 clear and concise entries, it provides comprehensive coverage of biology, biophysics, and biochemistry. Over 250 new entries include terms such as Broca's area, comparative genomic hybridization, mirror neuron, and Pandoravirus. Appendices include classifications of the animal and plant kingdoms, the geological time scale, major mass extinctions of species, model organisms and their genomes, Nobel prizewinners, and a new appendix on evolution. Entry-level web links to online resources can be accessed via a companion website.




A to Z of Biologists, Updated Edition


Book Description

Praise for the previous edition: "...the coverage of women, races, and international history in general make it a good source for exploring the many faces of biologists..."—American Reference Books Annual "...useful..."—School Library Journal "Recommended."—Choice A to Z of Biologists, Updated Edition uses the device of biography to put a human face on science-a method that adds immediacy for the high school student who might have an interest in pursuing a career in biology. This comprehensive survey features more than 150 entries and 50 black-and-white photographs. Each profile focuses on a biologist's research and contributions to the field and their effect on scientists whose work followed. Their lives and personalities are also discussed through incidents, quotations, and photographs. The profiles are culturally inclusive and span a range of biologists from ancient times to the present day. The entries on women and minority biologists especially articulate the obstacles that these biologists overcame in the process of reaching their goals. This title is an ideal resource for students and general readers interested in the history of biology or the personal and professional lives of significant biologists. People covered include: Rachel Louise Carson (1907–1964) Paul Ehrlich (1854–1915) Dian Fossey (1932–1985) Galen (c. 130–c. 201) Alexander von Humboldt (1769–1859) Shibasaburo Kitasato (1852–1931) Severo Ochoa (1905–1993) Linus Carl Pauling (1901–1994) Rosalyn Sussman Yalow (1921–2011) Lap-Chee Tsui (1950–present) Pamela Silver (1952–present)




Philosophy of Biology


Book Description

An essential introduction to the philosophy of biology This is a concise, comprehensive, and accessible introduction to the philosophy of biology written by a leading authority on the subject. Geared to philosophers, biologists, and students of both, the book provides sophisticated and innovative coverage of the central topics and many of the latest developments in the field. Emphasizing connections between biological theories and other areas of philosophy, and carefully explaining both philosophical and biological terms, Peter Godfrey-Smith discusses the relation between philosophy and science; examines the role of laws, mechanistic explanation, and idealized models in biological theories; describes evolution by natural selection; and assesses attempts to extend Darwin's mechanism to explain changes in ideas, culture, and other phenomena. Further topics include functions and teleology, individuality and organisms, species, the tree of life, and human nature. The book closes with detailed, cutting-edge treatments of the evolution of cooperation, of information in biology, and of the role of communication in living systems at all scales. Authoritative and up-to-date, this is an essential guide for anyone interested in the important philosophical issues raised by the biological sciences.




Code Biology


Book Description

This book is the study of all codes of life with the standard methods of science. The genetic code and the codes of culture have been known for a long time and represent the historical foundation of this book. What is really new in this field is the study of all codes that came after the genetic code and before the codes of culture. The existence of these organic codes, however, is not only a major experimental fact. It is one of those facts that have extraordinary theoretical implications. The first is that most events of macroevolution were associated with the origin of new organic codes, and this gives us a completely new reconstruction of the history of life. The second implication is that codes involve meaning and we need therefore to introduce in biology not only the concept of information but also the concept of biological meaning. The third theoretical implication comes from the fact that the organic codes have been highly conserved in evolution, which means that they are the greatest invariants of life. The study of the organic codes, in short, is bringing to light new mechanisms that have operated in the history of life and new fundamental concepts in biology.




What's Eating the Universe?


Book Description

Combining the latest scientific advances with storytelling skills unmatched in the cosmos, an award-winning astrophysicist and popular writer leads us on a tour of some of the greatest mysteries of our universe. In the constellation of Eridanus, there lurks a cosmic mystery: It’s as if something has taken a huge bite out of the universe. But what is the culprit? The hole in the universe is just one of many puzzles keeping cosmologists busy. Supermassive black holes, bubbles of nothingness gobbling up space, monster universes swallowing others—these and many other bizarre ideas are being pursued by scientists. Due to breathtaking progress in astronomy, the history of our universe is now better understood than the history of our own planet. But these advances have uncovered some startling riddles. In this electrifying new book, renowned cosmologist and author Paul Davies lucidly explains what we know about the cosmos and its enigmas, exploring the tantalizing—and sometimes terrifying—possibilities that lie before us. As Davies guides us through the audacious research offering mind-bending solutions to these and other mysteries, he leads us up to the greatest outstanding conundrum of all: Why does the universe even exist in the first place? And how did a system of mindless, purposeless particles manage to bring forth conscious, thinking beings? Filled with wit and wonder, What’s Eating the Universe? is a dazzling tour of cosmic questions, sure to entertain, enchant, and inspire us all.




Handbook of Bird Biology


Book Description

Selected by Forbes.com as one of the 12 best books about birds and birding in 2016 This much-anticipated third edition of the Handbook of Bird Biology is an essential and comprehensive resource for everyone interested in learning more about birds, from casual bird watchers to formal students of ornithology. Wherever you study birds your enjoyment will be enhanced by a better understanding of the incredible diversity of avian lifestyles. Arising from the renowned Cornell Lab of Ornithology and authored by a team of experts from around the world, the Handbook covers all aspects of avian diversity, behaviour, ecology, evolution, physiology, and conservation. Using examples drawn from birds found in every corner of the globe, it explores and distills the many scientific discoveries that have made birds one of our best known - and best loved - parts of the natural world. This edition has been completely revised and is presented with more than 800 full color images. It provides readers with a tool for life-long learning about birds and is suitable for bird watchers and ornithology students, as well as for ecologists, conservationists, and resource managers who work with birds. The Handbook of Bird Biology is the companion volume to the Cornell Lab's renowned distance learning course, www.birds.cornell.edu/courses/home/homestudy/.




Biological Autonomy


Book Description

Since Darwin, Biology has been framed on the idea of evolution by natural selection, which has profoundly influenced the scientific and philosophical comprehension of biological phenomena and of our place in Nature. This book argues that contemporary biology should progress towards and revolve around an even more fundamental idea, that of autonomy. Biological autonomy describes living organisms as organised systems, which are able to self-produce and self-maintain as integrated entities, to establish their own goals and norms, and to promote the conditions of their existence through their interactions with the environment. Topics covered in this book include organisation and biological emergence, organisms, agency, levels of autonomy, cognition, and a look at the historical dimension of autonomy. The current development of scientific investigations on autonomous organisation calls for a theoretical and philosophical analysis. This can contribute to the elaboration of an original understanding of life - including human life - on Earth, opening new perspectives and enabling fecund interactions with other existing theories and approaches. This book takes up the challenge.




Advanced Methods in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology


Book Description

Advanced Methods in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology: A Practical Lab Manual is a concise reference on common protocols and techniques for advanced molecular biology and biotechnology experimentation. Each chapter focuses on a different method, providing an overview before delving deeper into the procedure in a step-by-step approach. Techniques covered include genomic DNA extraction using cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and chloroform extraction, chromatographic techniques, ELISA, hybridization, gel electrophoresis, dot blot analysis and methods for studying polymerase chain reactions. Laboratory protocols and standard operating procedures for key equipment are also discussed, providing an instructive overview for lab work. This practical guide focuses on the latest advances and innovations in methods for molecular biology and biotechnology investigation, helping researchers and practitioners enhance and advance their own methodologies and take their work to the next level. - Explores a wide range of advanced methods that can be applied by researchers in molecular biology and biotechnology - Features clear, step-by-step instruction for applying the techniques covered - Offers an introduction to laboratory protocols and recommendations for best practice when conducting experimental work, including standard operating procedures for key equipment