Topic 1

Topic 1

: Evo-devo. Watch the video (1)* featuring Sean Carroll discussing the science of evolution and the field of evolutionary-developmental biology (evo-devo).

• (a) Describe three things that you learned from the video.
• (b) Of the three things you described, which was the most surprising, and why?
• (c) Discuss what these things teach us about biology.

Topic 2 [article]: The cusp of a revolution in medicine. In a recent op-ed, Craig Venter (2)* shares his opinion that we are “on the cusp of a revolution” in medicine.

• (a)  Describe three things that you learned from this op-ed.
• (b)  Of the three things you describe, which was the most surprising, and why?
• (c)  Discuss what these things teach us about biology.

Topic 3 [article]:  Earth will survive; we may not. In a provocative Op-Ed, astrophysicist Adam Frank says that “pretending we can just extend the Holocene in perpetuity” is just a foolish excuse to put off making inevitable choices brought about by climate change.

• (a)  Summarize Frank’s basic argument.
• (b)  Some biologists, particularly conservation biologists reacted negatively to this essay. What is your reaction to this essay?
• (c)  Explain how this relates to biology.