15 resources and 1 collection matched your query.
Library of 3383 accessible STEM media resources.
Showing resources 1 to 15 of 15
Select a resource below to get more information and link to download this resource.
This video explores the mystery of why the traits of some offspring resemble their parents and others do not. The concept of heredity is discussed, as is the process by which genetic material is passed on from one generation to the next. Through colorful animations and vivid footage, students explore the key concepts concerning the inheritance of characteristics.
(Source: DCMP)
Students are introduced to basic concepts related to heredity. Special emphasis is placed on some easy to understand human traits that are inherited. Concepts and terminology discussed include: characteristics, traits, and inheritance.
This episode highlights a group of scientists that brew lava and blow it up to better understand volcanoes. Other segments include rice plants that reproduce from clones, an energy-efficient way to stay warm, and Maria's effects on Puerto Rico's watershed and forests. Part of the "4 Awesome Discoveries You Probably Didn't Hear About This Week" series.
Discusses how animals use their teeth and horns for protection and survival. From the Kool Books series narrated by Hector Bonilla.
Due to their strange combination of bear-like and dog-like traits, these amphicyonids are often colloquially referred to as "bear-dogs." They are closely related to true dogs and a little less related to bears. However, these animals are key to understanding the history of an important branch of the mammal family tree. Part of the "Eons" series.
Genes, those traits passed down to us by our parents, are the things that make each of us different from the others. This question-answer format covers basic information about genes, chromosomes, cell division, dominant and recessive genes, and fertilization. Illustrates Mendel's rules of heredity. Covers advances in the fields of DNA, genetic engineering, and gene therapy. Reviews major points.
Paleontologists have studied the fossil record of human evolution just like they have done for other major transitions, including the evolution of tetrapods from fish and the evolution of birds from dinosaurs. Sean Carroll and Tim White discuss the most important human fossils and how they illuminate key phases of human evolution, focusing in particular on three traits: larger brains, tool use, and bipedality.
From fossil evidence, it appears that life may have existed on Earth as early as 3.5 billion years ago. This suggests that life must have evolved sometime during Earth's tumultuous first billion years. How did life evolve? What did early forms of life look like? Topics covered include protocells, endosymbiosis, prokaryotes, eukaryotes, evolution, heredity, variation, natural selection, genetic drift, and gene flow. Part of the "Biology" series.
Genetic modification of organisms and cloning is controversial. Looks at the way humanity has modified genomes of plants and animals used for food since the dawn of agriculture. As knowledge of cells and genetics has increased, so has humanity's ability to alter genomes. Shows animations of how genetic engineers are now able to construct and insert genes for desirable characteristics into plants and how technology is used to increase numbers of animals with desirable traits and screen out those with disease or lower food yields.
The cloning of Dolly the sheep can trace its origins all the way back to Charles Darwin's trip to the Galapagos Islands in the 1800s. Darwin's evidence for evolution was overwhelming, but scientists still didn't know how traits passed from parent to offspring. As microscopes improved, scientists were able to see cells divide and eventually discovered the genes that make up DNA. This, along with other technological advances, has opened up an exciting new area of scientific study: nanotechnology.
Over the past four decades, evolutionary biologists Rosemary and Peter Grant have documented the evolution of the famous Galápagos finches. They track changes in body traits directly tied to survival, such as beak length, and identify behavioral characteristics that prevent different species from breeding with one another. Their pioneering studies have revealed clues as to how 13 distinct finch species arose from a single ancestral population that migrated from the mainland 2 million to 3 million years ago.
Working in the islands of the Caribbean, biologist Jonathan Losos has discovered the traits that enable dozens of anole species to adapt to different vertical niches in the forest. Differences in limb length, body shape, and toepad size allow different species to flourish on the ground. However, lizards living on thin branches or high in the canopy have different characteristics. These varied adaptations have played a key role in reproductive isolation and the formation of new species.
In contrast to the peaceful wildlands featured in the prior segments, the urban campus of the University of California-San Diego (UCSD) seems like an unlikely place to find field biologists studying juncos. But in the early 1980s, some juncos decided to make this atypical urban and coastal habitat their year-round home. Since then, scientists have documented a remarkable array of changes in the physical traits, behaviors, and physiology of the colonist population of juncos at UCSD when compared to juncos from the nearby native range. Part of Ordinary Extraordinary Junco (Chapter 6).
While many of rely on passwords to protect their identity, there's more sophisticated identity recognition technology called "biometrics" for use. Security measures that use biometrics rely on a person's unique characteristics and traits rather than on what that person can remember, such as a password. Ocular biometrics, in particular, relies on iris and retinal scanning. With support from the National Science Foundation, computer scientist Oleg Komogortsev and a team at Texas State University are taking the technology a step further, making it even more secure, reliable and nearly impossible to fool. Part of the National Science Foundation Series “Science Nation.”
To what degree are we genetically programmed with certain traits and abilities? Looks at recent technologies and scientific discoveries and considers the classic "nature versus nurture" discussion. Segments cover identical twins, the science of biotechnology, and the genetic inheritance of working dogs. Investigates the similarities in personality shared by identical twins. Explains how recent breakthroughs in genetics research and DNA have created new ways to solve crimes, breed (clone) animals, and extend human life. Discusses cross-species cloning, human cloning, and gene therapy. Shows how assistance and search-and-rescue dogs can be taught to overcome their inborn instincts and fear.
Showing collections 1 to 1 of 1
Biology related concepts
A collection containing 59 resources, curated by Benetech
