BIOL 125: Cellular and Molecular Biology

Explore the effects of isotonic, hypertonic, and hypotonic solutions on plant and animal cells. Understand water movement, solute concentration dynamics, and the resulting cellular changes, including turgidity in plants and crenation or lysis in animals.

Learn the distinctions between dispersal and vicariance in biology. Understand how organisms' movements and environmental changes play crucial roles in allopatric speciation. Grasp the differences between movement across existing barriers and the creation of new barriers.

Explore the differences in DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis between eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. Understand the benefits of separation in eukaryotes and the efficiency of proximity in prokaryotes. Both systems reveal the ingenious ways cells adapt to their needs.

Explore the intricate process of protein synthesis understanding how tRNA anticodons correspond with mRNA codons. Discover the role of ribosomes in reading mRNA sequences and how tRNA ensures the accurate translation of amino acids. Breakdown of mRNA-tRNA binding for efficient protein formation.

Explore stromatolites, the oldest indicators of life on Earth formed by microbial actions. Understand their presence in shallow marine environments and their connection to early eukaryotic life.

Discover how our brain interprets the scent of smoke differently based on context. Compare reactions in an open campfire setting versus an enclosed residence hall. Understand the underlying mechanisms of olfactory fatigue and context-driven alarm responses.