From the Book - Second edition.
Contents: Introduction --
I. Foundations of life. The study of living things ; Fundamentals of chemistry ; Biochemistry : carbon and organic macromolecules --
II. Cell biology. The cell and its organelles ; Powering life processes : metabolism ; Generations of life : mitosis and meiosis --
III. Genetics. DNA and the central dogma of molecular biology ; Mendel and classical genetics ; Modern genetics and biotechnologies --
IV. Evolution. The origin and evolution of life on earth ; Unifying the diversity of life : classification --
V. Microbes. Straddling the living world : viruses ; Prokaryotes old and new : Kingdoms Archaebacteria and Eubacteria ; Simple and diverse life : Kingdom Protista --
VI. Essential and underappreciated organisms. The recyclers : Kingdom Fungi ; The producers : Kingdom Plantae --
VII. Animal diversity and morphology. The consumers : Kingdom Animalia ; The body systems : human physiology --
VIII. Synergy of life. Organisms in their physical environment : ecology ; Organisms living together : populations and communities ; Earth and the human factor : the biosphere ; Putting it all together --
Appendix: Identifying roots for vocabulary building --