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Biology: The Science of Life

Written by: Stephen Nowicki, The Great Courses
Narrated by: Stephen Nowicki
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Publisher's Summary

One of the greatest scientific feats of our era is the astonishing progress made in understanding biology-the intricate machinery of life-a progress to which the period we are living in right now has contributed the most.

As you read these words, researchers are delving ever deeper into the workings of living systems, turning their discoveries into new medical treatments, improved methods of growing food, and innovative products that are already changing the world.

The 72 lectures in this comprehensive exploration of living systems at all levels-from biological molecules to global ecosystems-will give you all the information you need to grasp this fascinating field and its impact on both our own lives and our understanding of the life that surrounds us.

Professor Nowicki presents his subject in a conceptual format, emphasizing the importance of broad principles. Though facts and details are offered in abundance, it is always in the context of developing a context listeners can readily absorb.

Your newfound mastery of the fundamentals of biology will serve you in many ways-whether you want to read the headlines with greater insight, update a subject you studied long ago, view the natural world with new appreciation, become a better-informed voter and consumer, or gain the intellectual stimulation of understanding the basic principles that unite all living things.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2004 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2004 The Great Courses

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  • 2018-03-10

narrator made this enjoyable

Learned how men only have x y chromosomes, more from mom side.
Learned about the importance of calcium ions.

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Very informative, good companion for Cell Bio 1101

Really well put together, and I found very useful this term as it hardly deviated at all from the course curriculum of university of Ottawa's cell bio course (bio1140) and had elements of organismal bio 1130. Highly recommended, even for the non-student looking to educate themselves!

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Solid Survey of Biology

This was a pretty good survey of the field of biological sciences, from molecular genetics to global ecology. Complexity of the material I would put at senior year high school to first year college biology, minus the homework. a great refresher for me, oh how it all fades. could be a good audio supplement for someone studying

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Best Intro to Biology and Genetics

I will never look at life the same again. This is a fantastic lecture series, suitable for anybody that is serious about understanding life in our modern world. As a teen I had zero interest in biology. It seemed such a chaotic subject, dedicated to memorizing abstract, non-deterministic relationships. Physics, chemistry, and computing were so much more interesting, with their concrete, predictable patterns. Forty years later and that has all changed. Science now understands many of the mechanisms underlying life, and Dr. Nowicki provides a very detailed, yet consumable guide to understanding those mechanisms.

Very well presented, and easy to follow.

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very good course!

This course gives very well structured overall view of the important topics and trends in modern biology. I especially liked short biographical and historical notes about scientists, not to mention very interesting lectures per se. Thank you professor!

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excellent resource for Biology students

Such an amazing speaker full of enthusiasm with biology. Lectures are full of interesting histories. The way he speaks just make me feel like he was talking to me. Doesn't feel like he is reading a textbook. Hope all teachers like him.

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Easier and more informative than you think

Having only vague memories of high school biology, I was unnecessarily daunted by this book. I regret waiting so long to invest the time. Structured as (or perhaps actually) a series of 1st or 2nd year biology lectures, I gained a stronger vocabulary and understanding of biology on the conceptual, molocular, cellular, and global scales. I can now explain in broad terms how DNA works (seriously), discuss evolution (it's real), understand why the postmans eyes look so familiar (genetics), grok gene expression (this will blow your mind), understand signals & receptors (brains & nerves), and carry on an intelligent conversation about how energy flows through ecosystems.

This course makes all of these things accessible to anyone with only some curiousity and some rudimentary knowlege to build on. The narration is energetic and contagious.. it is hard to be feel less involved or less interested than the lecturer appears to be in the material.

This was my first 'The Great Courses' title, but certainly not the last. Ill be watching for more from the same author.

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