A scientist studies a dinosaur skeleton.

1.1 What Is Science?

Key Questions

  • What are the goals of science?

  • What procedures are at the core of scientific methodology?

Vocabulary

science • observation • inference • hypothesis • controlled experiment • independent variable • dependent variable • control group • data

Taking Notes

Flowchart As you read, create a flowchart showing the steps scientists use to answer questions about the natural world.

THINK ABOUT IT One day long ago, someone looked around and wondered: Where did plants and animals come from? How did I come to be? Since then, humans have tried to answer those questions in different ways. Some ways of explaining the world have stayed the same over time. Science, however, is always changing.

What Science Is and Is Not

What are the goals of science?

This book contains lots of facts and ideas about living things. Many of those facts are important, and you will be tested on them! But you shouldn't think that biology, or any science, is just a collection of never-changing facts. For one thing, you can be sure that some “facts” presented in this book will change soon—if they haven't changed already. What's more, science is not a collection of unchanging beliefs about the world. Scientific ideas are open to testing, discussion, and revision. So, some ideas presented in this book will also change.

These statements may puzzle you. If “facts” and ideas in science change, why should you bother learning them? And if science is neither a list of facts nor a collection of unchanging beliefs, what is it?

A scientist photographs whales swimming in the ocean.

FIGURE 1–1 Studying the Natural World How do whales communicate? How far do they travel? How are they affected by environmental changes? These are questions whale researchers can use science to answer.

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Table of Contents

Miller & Levine Biology
About the Authors
Changing the World of Biology Education
Contents
Diversity of Life: A Visual Guide DOL•1–DOL•64
Labs and Activities
Features
UNIT 1 The Nature of Life
1 The Science of Biology
2 The Chemistry of Life
Unit Project
UNIT 2 Ecology
3 The Biosphere
4 Ecosystems and Communities
5 Populations
6 Humans in the Biosphere
Unit Project
UNIT 3 Cells
7 Cell Structure and Function
8 Photosynthesis
9 Cellular Respiration and Fermentation
10 Cell Growth and Division
Unit Project
UNIT 4 Genetics
11 Introduction to Genetics
12 DNA
13 RNA and Protein Synthesis
14 Human Heredity
15 Genetic Engineering
Unit Project
UNIT 5 Evolution
16 Darwin's Theory of Evolution
17 Evolution of Populations
18 Classification
19 History of Life
Unit Project
UNIT 6 From Microorganisms to Plants
20 Viruses and Prokaryotes
21 Protists and Fungi
22 Introduction to Plants
23 Plant Structure and Function
24 Plant Reproduction and Response
Unit Project
UNIT 7 Animals
25 Introduction to Animals
26 Animal Evolution and Diversity
27 Animal Systems I
28 Animal Systems II
29 Animal Behavior
Unit Project
UNIT 8 The Human Body
30 Digestive and Excretory Systems
31 Nervous System
32 Skeletal, Muscular, and Integumentary Systems
33 Circulatory and Respiratory Systems
34 Endocrine and Reproductive Systems
35 Immune System and Disease
Unit Project
A Visual Guide to The Diversity of Life
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE
THE TREE OF LIFE
Bacteria
Protists
Fungi
Plants
Animals
Appendices
Appendix A Science Skills
Appendix B Lab Skills
Appendix C Technology & Design
Appendix D Math Skills
Appendix E Periodic Table
Glossary
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q, R
S
T
U
V
W
X, Y, Z
Index
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
Credits
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