Branches of Biology
X-Ray Fish Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Actinopterygii Order Characiformes Family Characidae Genus Pristella Species P. maxillaris Niche Aquatic fish Length 1.6-1.9 in (3.2-5 cm) Lifespan 2-5 years Social Structure Schooling Conservation Status Not listed (common) Preferred Habitat Freshwater ponds and lakes in South America Average Spawn Size 350 Main Prey Species Worms, insects, small … Read more
The decline of insects In recent decades, a certain awareness has been created about an everyday phenomenon that could have serious environmental consequences: insects that hit the windshield of our cars. Or, to be more exact, the fact that the number of insects hitting the windshield has drastically decreased. It is common knowledge that years ago the windshields were … Read more
Sanger sequencing method In a previous article on the Human Genome Project, we talked about the feat of obtaining the complete sequence of our genome, as well as its applications. For this, it was necessary to determine the order of the nucleotides that make up DNA , which required a considerable effort on the part of several universities and research … Read more
What is CRISPR, the technique that will change genetic manipulation? What is CRISPR? These are DNA sequences that contain a multitude of palindromic segments, that is, sequences that are read in the same way in both directions of the DNA strand. These palindromic segments are divided by spacer sequences and there is also a “leader” sequence. The set of the palindromic, … Read more
What is a dominant gene and a recessive gene? The transmission of characters between parental organisms and their offspring is a complex and fascinating subject. The first person to carry out an analytical investigation of this matter was the monk Gregor Mendel in the 19th century, without knowing what a gene was. Mendel became famous for his … Read more
Human Genome Project: what is it and what applications does it have? The first genetic studies date back to the 19th century, long before we knew what genes were. By growing peas ( Pisum sativum ) with different characteristics, the Augustinian monk Gregor Mendel was able to elaborate on the so-called laws of inheritance, which describe how some characters are … Read more
Deforestation: definition, causes, consequences and types. Deforestation is one of the most mentioned concepts when talking about endangered or extinct species, threats to biodiversity, and an important factor that can increase the problem of global warming. But… what are we talking about when we talk about deforestation? Below we will answer this question and others such as … Read more
What is exocytosis? As compared to endocytosis, exocytosis is a process that is used to use energy to move materials from inside the cell to the outside of the cell. Therefore, it is a kind of active transport mechanism and the opposite of endocytosis. Generally, in this exocytosis mechanism, a special vesicle attached to the cell … Read more
Definition of Endocytosis Endocytosis is a cellular mechanism by which a cell internalizes substances such as proteins, fluids, electrolytes, microorganisms, and certain macromolecules from its external environment. These substances are subjected to certain processes of decomposition into smaller elements, either for use by the cell or for elimination. White blood cells of the immune system … Read more
Spirogyra Definition Spirogyra is a green alga that occurs mainly in fresh water in the form of lumps. These are also known as water silk or mermaid braids. It is a unicellular organism, but it can be seen in freshwater bodies when it agglomerates into a multicellular structure. Spirogyra is composed of chlorophyll, which gives it … Read more