Honors Biology

Why biology? Every moment of every day you are connected to another living thing. Even if you could isolate yourself from every human, animal, and plant, you would still be intricately connected to yet other living things. So intimately connected, not even a bug net could help you. Ever have plaque on your teeth? Strep throat? A pimple? At least the microorganisms responsible for these let you know they are there. Don’t fret, you’ve got friends in this business too.

We are not mutually exclusive from the other living things on Earth. It is possible to venture that there is never more than six degrees of separation between any being: plant, animal, or bacterium. We cannot isolate ourselves completely. What we grow, process, eat, and throw away all have impact on others and our environment. What relationships can you envision here?

When we consider biology, consider relationships. Let’s attempt to understand  connections among living communities from the microscopic to ecological. Let’s seek  information to make choices about our lifestyles.  Should we treat that ear infection with antibiotics?  Should we interrupt a pristine environment for another few million barrels of oil?

So, why biology? Eventually we impact and are impacted by each and every other living thing on earth, seen and unseen. Only with knowledge of living systems,  can we peacefully coexist with others of our planet.

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