On the Shelf at CCBC Libraries
The Master Builder by
"An ingenious argument" (Kirkus) for a "novel thesis" (Publishers Weekly) that cells, not DNA, hold the key to understanding life's past and present   What defines who we are? For decades, the answer has seemed obvious: our genes, the "blueprint of life." In The Master Builder, biologist Alfonso Martinez Arias argues we've been missing the bigger picture. It's not our genes that define who we are, but our cells. While genes are important, nothing in our DNA explains why the heart is on the left side of the body, how many fingers we have, or even how our cells manage to reproduce. Drawing on new research from his own lab and others, Martinez Arias reveals that we are composed of a thrillingly intricate, constantly moving symphony of cells. Both their long lineage--stretching back to the very first cell--and their intricate interactions within our bodies today make us who we are. Engaging and ambitious, The Master Builder will transform your understanding of our past, present, and future--as individuals and as a species.
Call Number: QH581.2 .M383 2023
How Life Works by
A cutting-edge new vision of biology that will revise our concept of what life itself is, how to enhance it, and what possibilities it offers. Biology is undergoing a quiet but profound transformation. Several aspects of the standard picture of how life works--the idea of the genome as a blueprint, of genes as instructions for building an organism, of proteins as precisely tailored molecular machines, of cells as entities with fixed identities, and more--have been exposed as incomplete, misleading, or wrong. In How Life Works, Philip Ball explores the new biology, revealing life to be a far richer, more ingenious affair than we had guessed. Ball explains that there is no unique place to look for an answer to this question: life is a system of many levels--genes, proteins, cells, tissues, and body modules such as the immune system and the nervous system--each with its own rules and principles. How Life Works explains how these levels operate, interface, and work together (most of the time). With this knowledge come new possibilities. Today we can redesign and reconfigure living systems, tissues, and organisms. We can reprogram cells, for instance, to carry out new tasks and grow into structures not seen in the natural world. As we discover the conditions that dictate the forms into which cells organize themselves, our ability to guide and select the outcomes becomes ever more extraordinary. Some researchers believe that ultimately we will be able to regenerate limbs and organs, and perhaps even create new life forms that evolution has never imagined. Incorporating the latest research and insights, How Life Works is a sweeping journey into this new frontier of the life sciences, a realm that will reshape our understanding of life as we know it.
Call Number: QH501 .B356 2023
Microbia by
From Eugenia Bone, the critically acclaimed author of Mycophilia, comes an approachable, highly personal look at our complex relationship with the microbial world. While researching her book about mushrooms, Eugenia Bone became fascinated with microbes--those life forms that are too small to see without a microscope. Specifically, she wanted to understand the microbes that lived inside other organisms like plants and people. But as she began reading books, scholarly articles, blogs, and even attending an online course in an attempt to grasp the microbiology, she quickly realized she couldn't do it alone. That's why she enrolled at Columbia University to study Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology. Her stories about being a middle-aged mom embedded in undergrad college life are spot-on and hilarious. But more profoundly, when Bone went back to school she learned that biology is a vast conspiracy of microbes. Microbes invented living and as a result they are part of every aspect of every living thing. This popular science book takes the layman on a broad survey of the role of microbes in nature and illustrates their importance to the existence of everything: atmosphere, soil, plants, and us.
Call Number: QR41.2 .B64125 2018
Biology by
For non-majors/mixed biology courses. Build a flexible non-majors biology course with science literacy at its core. Eric Simon''s Biology: The Core combines a succinct, beautifully illustrated 12-chapter textbook with engaging MasteringBiology assignment options and extensive instructor support materials. The Core delivers a uniquely flexible teaching and learning package that supports Active Learning or "Flipped Classroom" teaching techniques, and an emphasis on current issues that relate to basic biological concepts. The modular organization of the text makes it easy for instructors to teach concepts in their preferred order, and powerful online assignment options reinforce those concepts by clarifying the "big picture" and preparing your students with the biological literacy skills required to make informed decisions outside the classroom. The Second Edition text and MasteringBiology assignment options further revolutionize teaching in and out of the classroom with a greater emphasis on the nature of science and dozens of new opportunities for students to practice basic science literacy skills. The Core''s concise modules continue to focus students'' attention on the most important concepts, combining dynamic figures and illustrations with supporting narrative as the primary source of instruction to create a more engaging and accessible learning experience for students. The new edition has been revised to strengthen the ways the text, MasteringBiology, and the instructor support materials work together in meeting the needs of both instructors and students-before, during, and after class. Also available as a Pearson eText or packaged with Mastering Biology Pearson eText is a simple-to-use, mobile-optimized, personalized reading experience that can be adopted on its own as the main course material. It lets students highlight, take notes, and review key vocabulary all in one place, even when offline. Seamlessly integrated videos and other rich media engage students and give them access to the help they need, when they need it. Educators can easily share their own notes with students so they see the connection between their eText and what they learn in class - motivating them to keep reading, and keep learning. MasteringBiology is an online homework, tutorial, and assessment product proven to improve results by helping students quickly master concepts. Students benefit from opportunities to practice basic science literacy skills, using interactive resources that create engaging learning experiences. Effective activities in MasteringBiology help students further visualize and understand complex biological processes. Comprehensive instructor tools include MasteringBiology assignment options. Note: You are purchasing a standalone book; Pearson eText and Mastering Biology do not come packaged with this content. Students, ask your instructor for the correct package ISBN and Course ID. Instructors, contact your Pearson representative for more information. If your instructor has assigned Pearson eText as your main course material, search for: * 0135214068 / 9780135214060 Pearson eText Biology: The Core, 2/e -- Access Card OR * 013521405X / 9780135214053 Pearson eText Biology: The Core, 2/e -- Instant Access If you would like to purchase both the physical text and MasteringBiology, search for: 013416699X / 9780134166995 The Core Plus MasteringBiology with eText -- Access Card Package, 2/e Package consists of: 0134325281 / 9780134325286 MasteringBiology with Pearson eText -- ValuePack Access Card -- for Biology: The Core 0134152190 / 9780134152196 Biology: The Core
Call Number: QH308.2 .S56 2017
Cell Biology by the Numbers by
A Top 25 CHOICE 2016 Title, and recipient of the CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title (OAT) Award. How much energy is released in ATP hydrolysis? How many mRNAs are in a cell? How genetically similar are two random people? What is faster, transcription or translation? Cell Biology by the Numbers explores these questions--and dozens of others--providing a richly illustrated and handy reference for students and researchers in molecular and cell biology, chemistry, and biophysics. The book features question-driven vignettes and "back of the envelope" calculations that investigate some of the key numbers in cell biology. Readers will learn about the sizes, concentrations, rates, energies, and other numbers that describe and drive the living world.
Call Number: QH585.5.D38 M55 2016
Podcasts
- This Week in Microbiology
A podcast about unseen life on Earth hosted by Vincent Racaniello and friends.
Streaming Video
- The Nature of BiologyWhy study biology? What’s it all about? Why does it matter? This is the video that helps answer these common questions about biology. Images from the natural world reinforce the sense of wonder and excitement involved in studying life science. Interviews with science professionals help viewers appreciate the impact and value of biology in society. The program is organized around the general themes of biology: Diversity of Life, Heredity, Cells, Interdependence of Life, Flow of Matter and Energy, and Evolution of Life. Through exploring these themes, students gain an understanding of the principles and values of life science. An upbeat introduction to the study of the living environment. A great way to begin a class in the life sciences! A Cambridge Educational Production.
Open Access Sites
- BioMed Central
Publishers of over 290 quality open access peer-reviewed journals in Biology, Clinical Medicine and Health. - PLOS Biology
PLOS (Public Library of Science) is a a nonprofit Open Access publisher, innovator and advocacy organization with a mission to accelerate progress in science and medicine by leading a transformation in research communication
Associations
- American Institute of Biological Sciences
The American Institute of Biological Sciences is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) scientific association dedicated to advancing biological research and education for the welfare of society. - American Society for Cell Biology
ASCB is an inclusive, international community of biologists studying the cell, the fundamental unit of life.
Online from CCBC Libraries
Principles of Biology by
Designed to provide students and researchers with a solid foundation to the study of biology, this volume introduces readers to hundreds of important terms and concepts. The volume begins with a detailed introduction of the field of biology. Written in clear, understandable language, entries include a complete discussion of the subject, related fields, key terms, plus illustrations, models and diagrams.
Publication Date: 2017
50 biology ideas you really need to know by
From mass extinction to immunity, and from sociobiology to swarm behaviour, 50 Biology Ideas You Really Need to Know will open you eyes to the fundamental biological processes that are essential to all life on earth, beginning with innovations unique to animals - such as the development of muscles and importance of circulation - and moving through to genetics, cells, tissues and, finally, the nature of groups of organisms.
Publication Date: 2015
Databases
- Science Direct This link opens in a new window
Articles from journals on science, technology and medicine for advanced research.
- ProQuest Central This link opens in a new window
Articles on any subject. This is a good place to start.
- Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window
Background information on all topics to start your research.
- Environment Complete This link opens in a new window
Articles about ecology, energy, natural resources, science, technology, law, public policy, and social impacts.
