Why Study Why Study Biology?Biology?

Stem CellStem Cell

Dolly the SheepDolly the Sheep

Parmecium vs. Q-tip CottonParmecium vs. Q-tip Cotton

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9ymaSzcsdY&feature=related

Lactobacillus bulgaricusLactobacillus bulgaricus

Lactobacillus bulgaricus

MimicryMimicry

Fly BeeViceroy Monarch

Mimicry Mimicry

Coral Snake Scarlet King Snake

MimicryMimicry

Katydid from Costa Rica Walkingstick

Caterpillar

BiomimicryBiomimicry ““Well, the spider is able to create stronger fiber than Well, the spider is able to create stronger fiber than

the best human efforts to date. And she does this at the best human efforts to date. And she does this at room temperature, without toxic chemicals and at room temperature, without toxic chemicals and at normal pressure. The diminutive mussel is able to normal pressure. The diminutive mussel is able to create a glue on the spot that allows him to stick create a glue on the spot that allows him to stick underwater to slippery surfaces better than any genius underwater to slippery surfaces better than any genius material scientist’s “breakthrough technologies”. In this material scientist’s “breakthrough technologies”. In this book, through these and many other examples, Janine book, through these and many other examples, Janine points out that if we open our eyes to the nature around points out that if we open our eyes to the nature around us, we can learn design approaches that will really us, we can learn design approaches that will really push technology forward and at the same time help us push technology forward and at the same time help us to minimize our environmental impact.”to minimize our environmental impact.”

BiomimicryBiomimicry A large adhesives company comes to us with a challenge: “We know our products are A large adhesives company comes to us with a challenge: “We know our products are

toxic and not very good: They’re brittle, they dry out, and they have to be reapplied. toxic and not very good: They’re brittle, they dry out, and they have to be reapplied. Furthermore, after we glue things together with our adhesives, they can’t be easily Furthermore, after we glue things together with our adhesives, they can’t be easily disassembled for recycling. How can we fix all that?” disassembled for recycling. How can we fix all that?”

They come to us because they know we look to the natural world for answers. How They come to us because they know we look to the natural world for answers. How does nature adhere? We look at how bacteria stick to the surfaces of a host body, how does nature adhere? We look at how bacteria stick to the surfaces of a host body, how plants use tendrils to cling to walls, how sea kelp uses its holdfasts to adhere to wet plants use tendrils to cling to walls, how sea kelp uses its holdfasts to adhere to wet rocks, and how a fly can walk across a ceiling. rocks, and how a fly can walk across a ceiling.

The gecko is a beautiful example of nature’s ability to come up with a super-strong The gecko is a beautiful example of nature’s ability to come up with a super-strong adhesive. Do you know how geckos are able to hang on a wall? On the bottom of their adhesive. Do you know how geckos are able to hang on a wall? On the bottom of their feet, they’ve got fins that break up into millions of little bristles, like split ends. Each of feet, they’ve got fins that break up into millions of little bristles, like split ends. Each of those bristles adheres to the nooks and crannies of a surface using positive and those bristles adheres to the nooks and crannies of a surface using positive and negative molecular charges that create what’s called van der Waals forces. They’re the negative molecular charges that create what’s called van der Waals forces. They’re the tiniest attractive force there is, but when you combine them by the billions you get one tiniest attractive force there is, but when you combine them by the billions you get one of the strongest adhesives known to man. You can suspend 280 pounds from a fully of the strongest adhesives known to man. You can suspend 280 pounds from a fully engaged gecko. engaged gecko.

The strength of that adhesive force is only part of the story. When the gecko peels back The strength of that adhesive force is only part of the story. When the gecko peels back its toes, it fully releases its bond at 30 degrees. Plus, the gecko can walk through sand its toes, it fully releases its bond at 30 degrees. Plus, the gecko can walk through sand and, within just a few steps, can cling to a wall; its toes are self-cleaning structures. The and, within just a few steps, can cling to a wall; its toes are self-cleaning structures. The adhesion doesn’t diminish in liquids or in a vacuum. Imagine the uses for a resealable adhesion doesn’t diminish in liquids or in a vacuum. Imagine the uses for a resealable adhesive like this. adhesive like this.

http://www.strategy-business.com/press/article/06310?pg=1http://www.strategy-business.com/press/article/06310?pg=1

Burrowing OwlBurrowing Owl

Burrowing Owl HabitatBurrowing Owl Habitat

Endangered SpeciesEndangered Species

Aye-aye: endangered species of madagascar. Most primitive of all livingPrimates. Resembles a cat-like squirrel

African wild dog

Endangered SpeciesEndangered Species

Almiqui

http://www.iucnredlist.org/info/gallery2004

Cucumber Tree

Largetooth Sawfish

Golden lion tamarin

Global WarmingGlobal Warming

List of Endangered List of Endangered SpeciesSpecies

AbaremaAbarema josephijosephi AbaremaAbarema killipiikillipii AbaremaAbarema longipedunculatalongipedunculata AbaremaAbarema obovataobovata AbaremaAbarema oxyphyllidiaoxyphyllidia AbaremaAbarema racemifloraracemiflora AbaremaAbarema turbinataturbinata AbaremaAbarema villiferavillifera AbdulmajidiaAbdulmajidia chanianachaniana AbdulmajidiaAbdulmajidia maxwellianamaxwelliana AbiesAbies beshanzuensisbeshanzuensis AbiesAbies bracteatabracteata ( (Bristlecone FirBristlecone Fir) ) AbiesAbies cephalonicacephalonica (Greek Fir) (Greek Fir) AbiesAbies chengiichengii AbiesAbies fanjingshanensisfanjingshanensis AbiesAbies fraserifraseri (Fraser Fir) (Fraser Fir) AbiesAbies hickeliihickelii AbiesAbies hidalgensishidalgensis

List of Endangered List of Endangered SpeciesSpecies

AbiesAbies koreanakoreana (Korean Fir) (Korean Fir) AbiesAbies nebrodensisnebrodensis (Sicilian Fir) (Sicilian Fir) AbiesAbies numidicanumidica (Algerian Fir) (Algerian Fir) AbiesAbies pinsapopinsapo (Spanish Fir) (Spanish Fir) AbiesAbies squamatasquamata (Flaky Fir) (Flaky Fir) AbiesAbies yuanbaoshanensisyuanbaoshanensis AbiesAbies ziyuanensisziyuanensis AbrawayaomysAbrawayaomys ruschiiruschii (Rushi's Rat) (Rushi's Rat) AbrocomaAbrocoma boliviensisboliviensis (Bolivian Chinchilla Rat) (Bolivian Chinchilla Rat) AbroniaAbronia montecristoimontecristoi AburriaAburria aburriaburri (Wattled Guan) (Wattled Guan) Abutilon Abutilon eremitopetalumeremitopetalum (Hidden-petaled Abutilon) (Hidden-petaled Abutilon) Abutilon Abutilon menziesiimenziesii Abutilon Abutilon sachetianumsachetianum Abutilon Abutilon sandwicensesandwicense (Greenflower Indian Mallow) (Greenflower Indian Mallow) Acacia Acacia albicorticataalbicorticata

List of Endangered List of Endangered SpeciesSpecies

Acacia Acacia anegadensisanegadensis Acacia Acacia ankokibankokib Acacia Acacia aulacocarpaaulacocarpa Acacia Acacia belairioidesbelairioides Acacia Acacia bucheribucheri Acacia Acacia campbelliicampbellii Acacia Acacia caranianacaraniana Acacia Acacia cernuacernua Acacia Acacia condylocladacondyloclada Acacia Acacia crassicarpacrassicarpa Acacia daemonAcacia daemon Acacia Acacia densispinadensispina Acacia Acacia dolichostachyadolichostachya Acacia Acacia ferrugineaferruginea Acacia Acacia flagellarisflagellaris Acacia Acacia gaumerigaumeri Acacia Acacia koaiakoaia

Human BiologyHuman Biology

Human BiologyHuman Biology

ElephantiasisElephantiasis

Venus Fly TrapVenus Fly Trap

ListeriaListeria

Why are Flamingos Pink?Why are Flamingos Pink?