Rene Fester Kratz - Biology For Dummies

Biology For Dummies, 3rd Edition

Published by: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, www.wiley.com

Copyright 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2017930023

ISBN 978-1-119-34537-4 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-119-34538-1 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-119-34541-1 (ebk)

1. Table of Contents

Life is all around you, from invisible microbes and green plants to the other animals with whom you share the Earth. Whats more, these other living things arent just around you theyre intimately interconnected with your life. Plants make your food and provide you with oxygen, microbes break down dead matter and recycle materials that all living things need, and insects pollinate the plants you rely on for food. Ultimately, all living beings rely on other living beings for their survival.

What makes biology so great is that it allows you to explore the interconnectedness of the worlds organisms and really understand that living beings are works of art and machines rolled into one. Organisms can be as delicate as a mountain wildflower, as curious as a grasshopper, or as awe-inspiring as a majestic elephant. And regardless of whether theyre plants, animals, or microbes, all living things have numerous working parts that contribute to the function of the whole being. They move, obtain energy, use raw materials, and make waste, whether theyre as simple as a single-celled organism or as complex as a human being.

Biology is the key you need to unlock the mysteries of life. Through it, you discover that even single-celled organisms have their complexities, from their unique structures to their diverse metabolisms. Biology also helps you realize what a truly miraculous machine your body is, with its many different systems that work together to move materials, support your structure, send signals, defend you from invaders, and obtain the matter and energy you need for growth.

Biology For Dummies, 3rd Edition, takes a look at the characteristics all living things share. It also provides an overview of the concepts and processes that are fundamental to living things. We make sure to emphasize the most important ideas in biology while taking a look at the diversity of life on planet Earth and our place in it.

Within this book, you may note that some web addresses break across two lines of text. If youre reading this book in print and want to visit one of these web pages, simply key in the web address exactly as its noted in the text, pretending as though the line break doesnt exist. If youre reading this as an e-book, youve got it easy just click the web address to be taken directly to the web page.

As we wrote this book, we tried to imagine who you are and what you need in order to understand biology. Heres what we came up with:

• Youre a high school student taking biology, possibly in preparation for an advanced placement test or college entrance examination. If youre having trouble in biology class and your textbook isnt making much sense, try reading the relevant section of this book first to give yourself a foundation and then go back to your textbook or notes.
• Youre a college student who isnt a science major but is taking a biology class to help fulfill your degree requirements. If you want help following along in class, try reading the relevant sections in this book before you go to a lecture on a particular topic. If you need to fix a concept in your brain, read the related section after class.
• Youre someone who just wants to know a little bit more about the living world around you. Good news this book is your oyster! Read it at your leisure, starting with whatever topic fascinates you most. We include several examples of how biology impacts everyday life to help keep your interest piqued.

We use some of the familiar For Dummies icons to help guide you and give you new insights as you read the material. Heres the scoop on what each one means.

The information highlighted with the Remember icon is stuff we think you should permanently store in your mental biology file. If you want a quick review of biology, scan through the book reading only the paragraphs marked with Remember icons.

The Technical Stuff icon marks extra information that isnt necessary to understanding the material in the chapter. If you want to take your understanding of biology to a higher level, or if you just want to build your knowledge base of interesting facts, incorporate these paragraphs into your reading. If you just want the basics and dont want to bother with nonessential information, skip them.