6 Useful Resources For Biology Enthusiasts
Biology is a fascinating science that covers the study of living things, from microscopic organisms to plants and animals. The resources listed here provide data and insight on fields like genomics, cell science, and more. Whether you're a student, a scientist, or an enthusiast, there's sure to be something here that piques your interest. This video was made with Ezvid Wikimaker.
Helpful Resources For Anyone Interested In Biology
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Bootleg Biology | Open source project aiming to create a diverse library of microorganisms for fermentation |
| OpenPlant | Organization promoting the development and sharing of innovations in plant synthetic biology |
| PhilInBioMed | Group comprising both an interdisciplinary institute at France's University of Bordeaux and an international network dedicated to promoting exchanges between philosophy and the life sciences |
| BioXFEL | Organization dedicated to using radiation imaging to better understand the mechanisms underlying living systems |
| Fungal Genome Research | Genetics resource hub created by Jason Stajich, a professor at the University of California, Riverside whose lab explores the evolution of fungi using experimentation and computational tools |
| Allen Cell Explorer | Home of publicly available data from the Allen Institute for Cell Science, including detailed visual records, explanations of investigative methods, and a catalog of the institute's culture lines |
12 Major Fields Of Life Sciences
- Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology
- Biotechnology
- Cell Biology
- Developmental Biology
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
- Genetics, Genomics, and Bioinformatics
- Immunology and Infectious Disease
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
- Neuroscience and Neurobiology
- Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Environmental Health
- Physiology
The Science Of Aging
How To Get Kids Interested in Science
If you're a parent who loves learning about how the world works, you might want to pass this intellectual curiosity onto your children. Of course, capturing a child's attention is easier said than done. Here are a few tips for how you can make learning fun for your little ones:
- Look at common plants and objects under a microscope
- Sign them up for a science summer camp
- Take a trip to a natural history museum
- Watch educational movies and TV shows
- Go hiking with them and teach them about nature
- Play board games that encourage learning
- Explain the chemistry behind cooking and baking
- Mix a few science toys in with their birthday gifts
Where Did Life Come From?
In Depth
Modern biology has revealed a sophisticated information technology built into the cells of living things, at the same time as humanity's capability to quickly exchange data has skyrocketed. As a result, key resources for the study of life can now be shared between researchers and enthusiasts with unprecedented ease. In no particular order, here are six venues where those with an interest in biology can find interesting tools and information.
Starting us off at #1 is Bootleg Biology, an open source project aiming to create a diverse library of microorganisms for fermentation. Propagating and distributing culture lines of microbes, which contributors have captured from food products, bottle dregs, and even their own backyards, this group offers home brew enthusiasts and commercial breweries a variety of niche strains. They also share the results of their experiments in brewing and cultivation.
Bootleg Biology offers a number of tools and resources for home brewers and cultivators. Most notable is the Backyard Yeast Wrangling Tool Kit, containing the equipment needed to start isolating and storing wild strains. The group also provides informational guides, like their morphological gallery of useful microbes, and services such as gluten testing. Among their long-term goals is cultivating local yeast varieties from every nation and U.S. postal code.
Bootleg Biology offers a number of tools and resources for home brewers and cultivators.
Next up at #2 is OpenPlant, an organization promoting the development and sharing of innovations in plant synthetic biology. The group helped to create the OpenMTA, a legal framework for patent-free transfer of biological materials between labs, and they provide funding for interdisciplinary projects in this field, through efforts like the Biomaker initiative to support creative uses for low-cost and DIY technology.
OpenPlant views engineered vegetation as a potential source for large-scale production of useful compounds, and has helped to develop a gene library for use of the species Marchantia polymorpha as a model organism. The organization's other projects include the creation of a shared repository of standardized DNA parts across multiple types of plants, bacteria, and algae. The group also conducts outreach efforts to encourage engagement with its mission.
Coming in at #3 is PhilInBioMed, a group comprising both an interdisciplinary institute at France's University of Bordeaux, and an international network dedicated to promoting exchanges between philosophy and the life sciences. This organization works to create opportunities for biologists and philosophers to collaborate, examining the ways that both fields can contribute to notions of identity, memory, and regeneration.
This organization works to create opportunities for biologists and philosophers to collaborate, examining the ways that both fields can contribute to notions of identity, memory, and regeneration.
PhilInBioMed organizes events bringing together thinkers and researchers to discuss topics at the intersection of philosophy and experimental science, such as the mind-body problem, the nature of aging, and categorical frameworks for understanding cancer. The group also offers seminars exploring questions about the metaphysics, history, and role of the sciences. The monthly PhilInBioMed Magazine provides readers with updates on new developments and opportunities in this interdisciplinary field.
Entry #4 is the BioXFEL Science and Technology Center. This organization is dedicated to using radiation imaging to better understand the mechanisms underlying living systems. With X-ray Free Electron Lasers, the group's researchers can observe sub-microscopic biological processes, at a much smaller scale time scale than previously possible. BioXFEL works to refine this technique and advance the science of protein crystallography.
BioXFEL researchers have developed and patented a number of innovations related to XFEL imaging and crystallography. As part of the National Science Foundation, the organization's mission includes education as well as research, with online lectures and opportunities for internships and scholarships. A number of programs are available for members of under-served communities interested in participating in the Center's work, along with outreach activities for high school students.
BioXFEL researchers have developed and patented a number of innovations related to XFEL imaging and crystallography.
Next on the list is #5, Fungal Genome Research. This genetics resource hub is the creation of Jason Stajich, a professor at the University of California, Riverside, whose lab explores the evolution of fungi using experimentation and computational tools. Users can access resources like the genome browser or the MycoCosm database, containing records of over one thousand species.
The 1000 Fungal Genomes project, aimed at encouraging researchers to collaborate in building a genetic library, has surpassed its original goal but continues to amass data. The resource hub features The Hyphal Tip, a blog sharing news, job opportunities for researchers, and thoughts about the world of fungal evolutionary research. It is also the home of WRIFO, an initiative aimed at increasing opportunities for women in this field.
We'll close with #6, the Allen Cell Explorer, the home for publicly available data from the Allen Institute for Cell Science. Showcasing this medical research group's work examining the building blocks of organisms, the site offers detailed visual records of completed studies, explanations of investigative methods, and a catalog of the Institute's culture lines. These materials, and the plasmids used to create them, can be purchased by other researchers.
Showcasing this medical research group's work examining the building blocks of organisms, the site offers detailed visual records of completed studies, explanations of investigative methods, and a catalog of the Institute's culture lines.
The Allen Cell Explorer offers many informational tools for those interested in biology, including 3D viewers displaying biological components, a detailed illustration of the process of mitosis, and a data-driven visualization of a human induced stem cell. It also features resources designed for educators, including an online lesson plan. Users can find instructions on the Institute's research protocols, and links to news and publications from the organization.
