BIOL 124: Evolution & Organismal Diversity

Explore the essential role and composition of blood plasma in our body. Understand how water, as the main component, helps in maintaining vital functions. Learn the importance of plasma balance for overall health insights.

Uncover why flamingos, genetically predisposed to white feathers, sport a pink hue. Dismissing influences like weather and DNA mutations, the mystery unravels with diet: the intake of carotenoids from their food which overrides their genetic blueprint

Learn about mouse genetics and the implications of dominant and recessive genes on coat color. We'll use a Punnett square to predict offspring coat patterns by crossing two heterozygous mice. Learn how phenotype ratios like 9 Agouti: 4 white: 3 black help us understand genetic outcomes.

Learn about male pattern baldness as we break down the science behind shrinking hair follicles and their effects on hair thinning. Learn why bald men still have hair follicles and what happens to them over time. Ideal for anyone keen to understand the biology of hair loss.

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 secrets of why certain bacteria thrive in hot springs as we dissect five intriguing options. Discover the role of enzyme optimal temperatures and the truth about temperature sensitivity in bacterial metabolism. Uncover the fascinating adaptations that make these microorganisms uniquely suited for hot spring environments.