4th post - December 5, 2013

As we begin our genetics unit, you may be aware of the recent ban that the FDA put on the genetics testing offered by the company "23 and Me".  Please read the news story linked below and post a few lines on what you think about the FDA's move and the accessibility of genetics testing in the future.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25100878

3rd post - November 21, 2013

November 21, 2013 (This is the last post of November.  Happy Thanksgiving!)

This week in AP Biology we began to look at the processes of cell division, namely the cell cycle, mitosis and meiosis.  Understanding of these processes is essential and a hot topic in medical research.  Many human diseases can be traced to problems associated with the regulation of the cell cycle.  To that end, in this week’s blog I would like you to read the linked article and then pose one question that is generated having read the article on cell cycle regulation.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131011101148.htm

2nd Post - November 14, 2013

2nd Post - November 14, 2013

In this week’s blog we are going to play an AP Biology vocabulary building game.  I will start by offering a biology term that begins with the letter “A” and then offer a definition.  The next person in the blog will choose a word that begins with “B” and offer its definition. etc.  (Try to offer vocabulary that your peers may not know and thus build on their knowledge.)

OK …let’s start.

“A” is for apoptosis. Apoptosis is programmed cell death, in which cell signaling causes a cascade of cell proteins that destroy the cell.  Understanding of this event may be helpful in future cures for diseases like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and cancer.

1st Post: November 7, 2013

AP Biology students,

Here is our first opportunity to Blog about the wonderful world of biology!  Every Thursday I will post a blog promt to get us talking about biology.  You will receive a grade at the end of each quarter for your contributions to the blog.  Essentially it is a participation grade, so if you respond to my posts and / or respond to other peoples posts you will have met the requirements for this assignment.

So do not stress over this .... let's have fun blogging about biology.

Task find an interesting biology news article on line and provide the link.  Next, write a brief statement about why this article is interesting.  (No repeating other students articles.)

Science News, November 5, 2013 "Clay may have been birthplace of Life on Earth"

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131105132027.htm


This article suggests a mechanism for how complex organic molecules like DNA or RNA could have been organized with the use of clay particles.  This suggests how these molecules necessary for life could have been synthasized before the evolution of the first cell membranes.

Ok, now read and comment on this article (or one your peers posted) or post your own article and comment on it.