Biology

Hello, I wish to learn how a human being if physically structured, from the very smallest quanta, all the way up to cells. I don't know much at all, already, so would like a book (or electronic resource) which explains the structure of reality as it pertains to animated life. Does anyone have any advice?

What is the significanc (not use) of spindle fibers in a cell division ?

Hi. These are questions that have interested me for years but I've not looked into before. I am not a Biologist or Nutritionist so this thinking is likely wrong and misguided. Two questions. A) Corn. - we all know that corn not chewed well can often pass through our system looking pretty much as it went in. Would this not make this a great diet food? Would the undigested parts lower the calories you were supposed to get from the corn (They must test calories assuming it's all digestible)? Enough undigested corn and maybe it will even sandpaper down your digestive track. Could a dieter fill their tummy a bit with mostly unchewed corn and expect t…

Thank you

Okay, to be honest here, the title doesn't really do the actual question justice. For that, I need to add some backstory. I am not very good with studying in the traditional sense(never picked it up and I suffered for it) so the way I would learn things is to put them in a context interesting ienough for them to be retained. As such, I learn most things by imagining what would happen in custom-built scenarios. In this particular case, I was trying to figure out how humans would react to life on another planet. More specifically, what would happen if the native life on the planet had (for whatever reason) originated in a way that caused it to be built of protiens, …

I am not sure about these structures of a leaf! Is there a difference between the protoplasm and cytoplasm? If yes plz provide me with pictures as I am completely confused! From what I learned on the net: Protoplasm is the living contents of a living cell and is surrounded by a plasma membrane. It is a general term for the cytoplasm! So I concluded that the cytoplasm forms part of the protoplasm that is protoplasm is the whole organelles of a plant except cellwall whereas cytoplasm is the jelly like structure forming part of the cytoplasm! Plz help me to sort this out and have a proper definition of the protoplasm!

Hi everyone I'd like to say "no animals have been harmed" in this 'experiment', which wasn't really an experiment, just a solution to a very annoying problem, but since mosquito's aren't animals, but monsters, I can't promise anything. So I had been harrassed by this most annoying mosquito last night, and after half an hour looking for it, I found it sitting in some shade (yes, I had all my lights turned on; that's when their cloaking device activates --' ) And thus I found it, and since I had been successful on capturing insects with cups and paper, I decided to do this with this monster too. First attempt didn't work, but in the second attempt, it flew righ…

Hi there, I was recently excluded from a prestigious university in Australia for having failed two units in Bsc, 2013. I have been battling a long term illness including but not limited to chronic depression, anxiety and insomnia. This illness in addition to other contributing factors can at times significantly limit my ability to study and perform effectively. Since my dismissal i have been proactive in re-applying for the same Bsc, which resulted in 4 university offers that i am currently deciding (Deakin or Macquarie). My passion is in Zoology (major) and behavioral animal science, in addition to Ecology and conservation (minor). I am extremely driven and determine…

Hey guys. I applied for a biology major, i start this fall. Is it going to be so hard? Is it possible for me to get a high gpa? Tips and telling me what to expect would really help!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2677824/Rain-sweat-tears-kill-Mother-tells-daily-battle-extremely-rare-allergy-WATER.html This makes no sense at all! I would have believed her if she didn't mention that she cannot even drink any liquid containing water (there is a condition on the SKIN where an oily chemical, reacts with water and forms an antigen the person is allergic to. The water is NOT the allergen however, but the transport. It is called Aquagenic Urticaria, but the antigen is NOT water) The fact that she mentions she cannot drink water, or properly drink anything with water in it, tells me she is trying to tell us she's allergic to water internally.…

It is said a misfolded prion is a denatured protein. Infectious prions are very rigid due to the amount of disulfide bonds are stuck together. But they can 'replicate' by turning normal prions into infectious prions. So does the misfolded prion interact with the normal prion or is it the other way around? How can a denatured protein cause normal proteins to also get denatured? By ''functional'' I mean do these denatured but infectious proteins perform any actual chemical reactions.

http://news.yahoo.com/swedish-man-bursts-flames-train-station-211300445.html Very strange.

Is there any way I can obtain latest research journals free...!!! If I not then from where can I find full research article..??? at least to read online...???

Hello. I would like to know what solid evidence there is that successful genetic modifications are caused by random survivial-selected mutations and not through the epigenetic influence of the organism or the environment. Many thanks for your time.

If say every human on the planet had a diet of processed foods high in sugar, salt, fat, and oils. All the corn syrup goodness and mechanically separated filler meat . If every human on the planet had this diet, how would our digestive system and bodies adapt? Could we adapt and if so what would it's changes be in 1,000 or even 100,000 years?

The function of Cerebrospinal fluid is the same as blood, why don`t our human body is created with brain filled with blood but not cerebrospinal fluid? Let say if blood can regulate its own concentration to act as shock absorber, thus fully replacing the function of cerebrospinal fluid.

Sorry to repost this – just that I didn’t get an answer to my final question in this thread. Mostly, I think, because the question changed and because of my imprecise (or, at best, non technical) use of the world epigenetic. I now understand how we might be able to rule out successful adaptations in the lab being caused by survival-selected random mutations, but how have we ruled this out in the wild? What evidence is there that successful adaptations in the wild are due to random mutations and not through some mechanism (genetic or otherwise) that responds to the environment? Many thanks for your time.

To any zoology & biology gurus or anyone else who's interested: I am in possession of a canine tooth which was gifted to me while living in Honduras 16 years ago. I have always wondered what type of animal it came from. See attached images. It is 3-1/4" (82mm) long x 1/4" (7mm) diameter. I would be guessing that it came from either a cat-like carnivore or possibly monkey or even a tapir. Let me know what your thoughts are. Thanks in advance.

Hi to all here. Just lately I have taken to correcting people on their use of the word "Gene". "DNA code you mean, a section/sequence of the DNA code" I tell them that DNA codes for body tissue only, therefore when someone says we have found the gay gene, an alcoholic or antisocial gene etc; we have a right to ask for what particular body tissue that DNA sequence codes for. Do scientists actually understand the DNA code well enough to be able to say exactly: that bit's for hair, that for bone and so?

I'm 25 years old, have a professional job, and I still tend to crush any bug in my path. If I'm playing tennis or running and I see a spider or beetle crawling around my sneaker; I'll be honest - I'll probably squash it. I've never had a problem stepping on bugs, and I've definitely stepped on more than my fair share of the little guys. However, I've seen some people object to the act. I'm considered an all-around good guy by people. But if I were being honest, I wouldn't have a second thought about flattening a bustling anthill on the sidewalk, and I've done that plenty of times. What would be the logical objection? Some people say insects feel pain but I can think of …

I need ideas. Below is a link to the first of a series of short videos about characteristics (mostly behavioral) that humans share with other organisms. What are some other organisms I can focus on in future videos? Thanks in advance, -Kurt

Trying to find any related studies. I was thinking to try something simple, clear beads over/around a plant in a plastic container. It really sounds stupidly simplistic, but all I've been able to find are studies relating to root growth.

i'm having trouble finding really good resources for my son who's passionate about crabs. he read "walking sideways" which was a great introduction, but i don't know where to look for more in depth material (books). he'd like to learn more about crabs in general, as well as more specifically about ghost, blue and sentinel crabs. he's 12, but is an advanced reader.

The increasing debate and interest in the risk/safety of GMOs is typically tainted by anti-corporatism, making it difficult to address the actual scientific basis behind these issues. I am an advocate for the use of GMOs. My interest and involvement in this topic has been ongoing for many years. If you are interested in my professional and personal background in this, I am willing to discuss it. My specific expertise is plant genetics and I have longstanding personal connections and history in agriculture. I have never worked in the corporate setting, always having been in academic labs. I would very much like to discuss the actual scientific issues regarding th…

A paper that Nature called "one of the biggest science papers of the year" may soon be retracted: one of the two Nature January 2014 "acid bath" STAP stem cell papers. In those papers, a Harvard/Riken team said ordinary cells could be stressed into a stem-cell state using coffee-mild acid. But so many acts of misconduct have been discovered by Riken and by cloning pioneer Teru Wakayama, that lead author Haruko Obokata has agreed to retract one paper. Both papers are under intense scrutiny. See: link removed