1. Properties of Life Briefly describe each of the nine properties of life and discuss how things like a virus, prion, and viroid can reproduce, but are not considered to be alive. Address the question: how can things like these that are not considered to be alive “evolve”? Your assignment should be 250-500 words in length. 2. Written Assignment: Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic Cells Introduction you to the living cell. Compare and contrast eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. Your assignment should be 250-500 words in length. 3. Genetic Counseling Explain Tay-Sachs disease. Imagine you are a genetic counselor working with a couple who have just had a child who is suffering from Tay-Sachs disease. Neither parent has been tested for Tay-Sachs disease nor have there been any previous cases of Tay-Sachs in either family. Explain Tay-Sachs disease and provide a discussion of the information you would share with the couple about Tay-Sachs and possible implications for future children. Your assignment should be 250-500 words in length. · 4. DNA and RNA Compare and contrast DNA and RNA. Discuss why humans did not evolve with one central repository of DNA, but rather it is replicated throughout the body? Your assignment should be 250-500 words in length. 5. Genetic Drift and the Founder Effect There are two types of genetic drift. Describe and give an example of both the bottle neck effect and the founder effect. Your assignment should be 250-500 words in length. 6. Similarities and Differences Discuss the similarities and differences between organisms in the domains Bacteria and Archaea. Your assignment should be 250-500 words in length. 7. Phylum Arthropoda The Earth’s largest phylum is Arthropoda, including centipedes, millipedes, crustaceans, and insects. The insects have shown to be a particularly successful class within the phylum. What biological characteristics have contributed to the success of insects? In many science fiction scenarios, post-apocalyptic Earth is mainly populated with giant insects. Why don’t we see giant insects today? Your assignment should be 250-500 words in length. 8. Final Paper – Pick one topic below: You will be required to do a term paper on one of the topics listed below. a. Discuss how the unique physical and chemical properties of water contribute to the importance of water for life on Earth to survive. b. Discuss how the methods of experimentation and observation have changed throughout the history of science. c. Explain the role so called “accidental” discoveries played in the history of science. d. Describe the major experiments and scientists involved in the discovery of DNA as our hereditary material and its structure. e. Explain what role women played in the Scientific Revolution of the 18th Century? What role do women in science play today? Your paper should be creative and interesting, and should be a minimum 1500 to 2000 words in length. It should be well-organized and demonstrate an ...

1. 1. Properties of Life
Briefly describe each of the nine properties of life and discuss
how things like a virus, prion, and viroid can reproduce, but are
not considered to be alive. Address the question: how can things
like these that are not considered to be alive “evolve”?
Your assignment should be 250-500 words in length.
2. Written Assignment: Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic Cells
Introduction you to the living cell. Compare and contrast
eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells.
Your assignment should be 250-500 words in length.
3. Genetic Counseling
Explain Tay-Sachs disease. Imagine you are a genetic counselor
working with a couple who have just had a child who is
suffering from Tay-Sachs disease. Neither parent has been
tested for Tay-Sachs disease nor have there been any previous
cases of Tay-Sachs in either family. Explain Tay-Sachs disease
and provide a discussion of the information you would share
with the couple about Tay-Sachs and possible implications for
future children.
Your assignment should be 250-500 words in length.
· 4. DNA and RNA
Compare and contrast DNA and RNA. Discuss why humans did
not evolve with one central repository of DNA, but rather it is
replicated throughout the body?
Your assignment should be 250-500 words in length.
5. Genetic Drift and the Founder Effect
There are two types of genetic drift. Describe and give an
example of both the bottle neck effect and the founder effect.
Your assignment should be 250-500 words in length.
6. Similarities and Differences
Discuss the similarities and differences between organisms in

2. the domains Bacteria and Archaea.
Your assignment should be 250-500 words in length.
7. Phylum Arthropoda
The Earth’s largest phylum is Arthropoda, including centipedes,
millipedes, crustaceans, and insects. The insects have shown to
be a particularly successful class within the phylum. What
biological characteristics have contributed to the success of
insects? In many science fiction scenarios, post-apocalyptic
Earth is mainly populated with giant insects. Why don’t we see
giant insects today?
Your assignment should be 250-500 words in length.
8. Final Paper – Pick one topic below:
You will be required to do a term paper on one of the topics
listed below.
a. Discuss how the unique physical and chemical properties of
water contribute to the importance of water for life on Earth to
survive.
b. Discuss how the methods of experimentation and observation
have changed throughout the history of science.
c. Explain the role so called “accidental” discoveries played in
the history of science.
d. Describe the major experiments and scientists involved in the
discovery of DNA as our hereditary material and its structure.
e. Explain what role women played in the Scientific Revolution
of the 18th Century? What role do women in science play
today?
Your paper should be creative and interesting, and should be a
minimum 1500 to 2000 words in length. It should be well-
organized and demonstrate an orderly flow of information that
clearly addresses the subject chosen.