Happy New Year!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9D05ej8u-gU

Define Life

Create a list of characteristics associated with life--what tells you that something is alive?

What is biology?

The study of living things

All living things share certain characteristics

Characteristics of Living Things

1.Contain Carbon

Remember Organic compounds

2. Composed of 1 or more cells

Unicellular (one cell)

- ex. Bacteria

Multicellular (many cells)

- ex. Animals, plants

3. Require energy to survive

Autotrophs - get energy from sun

Heterotrophs - get energy by consuming nutrients from their environment

4. All living things reproduce

Sexual - two sex cells required (sperm and egg)

Asexual - only one parent cell is needed

5. Grow and develop

Each cell divides to make new cells (cell division) – results in growth

Some cells become specialized and perform different jobs than others (differentiation)

6. Respond to stimuli in their environment

Stimuli - factors in the environment that living things react to

(ex. Light, temperature, sound, etc.)

7. Adapt to their environment and evolve over time

Evolution - gradual change in a population of organisms over time

Individuals DO NOT evolve

8. Maintain homeostasis

Homeostasis – a relatively stable internal environment (within a certain range)

- (ex. Human body temperature (approximately 98.6 degrees F))

9. Have a universal genetic code

All living things have DNA

DNA passes on genetic information from one generation to the next

Do you think there is life elsewhere in the universe?

Take a couple minutes to think about what you think and explain WHY you think that.

Click me

ASTROBIOLOGY

*study of the origin, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe

Studying ways to look for life on other planets or moons.

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html?media_id=34474061

WHAT IS NECESSARY FOR LIFE?

1. Temperature Range

Must be between -15oC to 115oC

(5oF-239oF)

Allows us to maintain average body temp (98.6oF/37oC) and keeps water in a liquid state

2. Liquid Water

Water transports & delivers dissolved chemicals as well as being a chemical reactant itself.

Cells are mostly water

3. Atmosphere

Atmospheres protect planets from UV rays and smaller meteorite impacts.

Provides some biochemicals/ gases (ex. carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, etc)

4. Energy

All life needs a source of energy

Sun – light energy -> plants ->animals

Chemical energy – from volcanoes, lightning, organic compounds, etc.

5. Nutrients

Nutrients are the raw materials organisms need to construct and maintain their bodies

Extra: Magnetic Field/Magnetosphere

Earth’s magnetic field protects us from ions & solar wind that would kill all living things

Temperature range – (about -15o C to 115 oC/ 5oF- 239oF)

Allows us to maintain average body temp. (98.6o F/ 37oC) and keeps water in a relatively

liquid state

Liquid water – (1) allows nutrients to circulate through the body

(2) regulate body temp.

(3) cells are mostly water

*It transports and delivers dissolved chemicals

Atmosphere – insulates and protects from u.v. radiation/sunlight and smaller meteorite

impacts also provides some biochemicals/ gases (C, O, N, etc.)

Energy – light or chemical energy to run life processes

Nutrients – raw materials organisms need to construct and maintain their bodies

Magnetic field/magnetosphere – protects us from ions and solar winds (cosmic rays) that can cause cancer and/or death.

EXTREMOPHILESClick

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/space/can-we-make-it-to-mars.html

Link to Video: Can We Make It To Mars?

*Click the picture or the link below to view