Classical genetics

Evolution is the change in heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. It is the process that gives rise to variation in existing populations, drives speciation, and what leads to the extinction of new species. It is the natural change that occurs in response to environmental pressures resulting in phenotypical changes. Another way for phenotypical changes to occur in a species is by human intervention. Domestication is a form of human intervention. The…

Defying Gender Roles How many times have you been in a situation where gender roles played a major factor? Gender roles affect every aspect of our life. The gender roles of males and females both develop as a pattern of behavior based on genes. Males and females are expected to follow certain gender roles in today’s society. In the play Antigone, the main character shows a simple example of a courageous woman defying her gender limits. Gender roles are very important by creating tension in the…

In his essay The Dissolution of the Oedipus Complex, Sigmund Freud asserts that "anatomy is destiny"(Freud 178). Anatomy defines the sexes and their fate regarding their desires, sexualities, and evidently, their gender. All humans are born with a set of reproductive organs that allows them to be categorized into certain groups as a result. According to Simone Beauvoir, "science considers characteristics as secondary reactions to a situation" (Beauvoir 23-24). Beauvoir uses the key word…

The lesson called Home Grown Caterpillars is a lesson about the transformation of a caterpillar to a butterfly (life cycle process) while creating a three dimensional piece of art to express idea, experience, or story. The story associated with this lesson is The Very Hungry Caterpillar. The art piece is a replica of the caterpillar during a butterfly’s life cycle made out of grass seed, soil, stockings, pipe cleaners, and googly eyes. This lesson would be considered an art enhanced lesson…

In our modern era, drugs and technology play increasingly progressive roles. Their presence can bring about positive changes, like medical breakthroughs or long-distance communication, but they also may elicit severe repercussions. If people, from politicians to scientists, begin to abuse substances, humanity may suffer. It can be extremely difficult to understand these dynamics, but Aldous Huxley is one such author who examines the significance and potential of these instruments. In Brave New…

Charles Darwin, a naturalist and geologist, published his theory of evolution in 1859. This showed that in the animal kingdom, species were continually evolving by adaptation and selection. Charles Darwin's published theory of evolution proposed that this process had occurred through the two theories: 'survival of the fittest' and the 'process of natural selection'. The theory of survival of the fittest stated that, the best physical specieman of the species and only those in the best shape and…

genome refers to external modifications to DNA that turn genes “on” and “off”. Although modifications don’t change the sequence per se, it changes the way the cells “read” genes. Essentially, this is what differentiates genetics from epigenetics. Going further into detail, genetics conceptually deal with gene and gene function. This focuses on how DNA sequences make changes in the cell. However, epigenetics refers to gene regulation. Instead, it focuses on the way DNA is regulated to attain…

Listening for the Public Voice, by Robert Cook-Deegan and Jane Maienschein, discusses the issue of genetic engineering and the ethical dilemma and how the United States, government, and people are interacting in the struggle of the ethics behind genetic engineering. The authors present the facts that genetic engineering has laid in the grey area forever, and still continues to sit in that grey area. Genetic Engineering will occasionally find itself in the news and the argument reignites but…

Public Voice, by Robert Cook-Deegan and Jane Maienschein, discusses the issue of genetic engineering and the ethical dilemma and how the United States, government, and people are interacting in the struggle of the ethics behind genetic engineering. The authors present the facts that genetic engineering has laid in the grey area ever since it was first brought to in lab, and still continues to sit in that grey area. Genetic Engineering will occasionally pop up in the news and the argument will be…

Nature vs. Nurture is a question that many people have debated over for years. Are people influenced more by their genetics or by what their surroundings are and how they were raised? Many people believe a person is solely impacted by their genes, while many others believe it is completely up to a person’s environment. However, I believe that everyone’s behavior is affected by both nature and nurture. Even though I believe both genes and environment play a role in who a person is, I believe that…