The extinct Passenger Pigeon

One of their last stands: Petoskey, MI

 

Bio 1030: Biology Today

Winter 2008, Part II (February 27-April 21)

Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University

 

The still-living honey bee

Courtesy of Dr. Zachary Huang

 

To derive pleasure from the art of discovery, as from the other arts, the student . . . must be made to re-live, to some extent, the creative process. In other words, he must be induced, with proper aid and guidance, to make some of the fundamental discoveries of science by himself, to experience in his own mind some of those flashes of insight which have lightened its path. . . . The traditional method of confronting the student not with the problem but with the finished solution, means depriving him of all excitement, [shutting] off the creative impulse, [reducing] the adventure of mankind to a dusty heap of theorems.--Arthur Koestler, 1964

 

Final Grades

 

Tentative Final Grades, if No Make-Up were Taken

 

End of semester evaluations for supplemental instruction:  http://studentvoice.com/wayne/supplementalendofsemester

Make-up exams for either Midterm I or II: Tuesday, April 29, 8:00-10:30. Bring pencils and know your student ID.  Only the highest score of the first or second try of the same test will count.   

Heartfelt thanks to:  Sarah Marie Michienzi / Aleksandar Popadic

 

Syllabus

Supplemental Instruction Information

Study Guide for Midterm II:   htm format  / pdf format

 

The April 21 Final Test will consist of the following: 

...............

 

Class-related Internet Articles of Interest (not required for second midterm):  1. The world's rubbish dump: a garbage tip that stretches from Hawaii to Japan    2. The Mystery of the Vanishing Bees  3. The plight of the obscure innovator in science.

 

What rational people have to say about the evolution / creationism "debate:" 1. Bill Cosby on the Noah (actually, Gilgamesh) myth.  2. Irish Rovers (Shel Silverstein) on the same myth.  3. Julia Sweeney's Letting go of God (Skip to minute 28 of audio)

 

Fascinating Research Projects (for other classes):

The Fate of the earth:  1. World Scientists' Warning to Humanity.  2. Terror Against the Biosphere

 

Applying the scientific method to the 9/11 and 7/7 mysteries:  1. Loose Change.  2. Captain Eric May  3. A former Italian Prime Minister.

 

Applying the Scientific Method to the Murder of Pat Tillman: Justin Raimondo

 

Background sound: Common Loon

Click here to hear another real loon

More about the common loon

 

Moti Nissani's Homepage

Department of Biological Sciences