The fast and easy way to understand biologyFrom molecules to animals, cells to ecosystems, this friendly guide answers all your questions about how living things work. Written in plain English and packed with helpful illustrations, tables, and diagrams, it cuts right to the chase with easy–to–absorb explanations of the life processes common to all organisms.Biology 101 — get the lowdown on how life is studied and open a window on the world's organismsJump into the gene pool — discover how cell reproduction and genetics work, from making sense of Mendel's Law of Segregation to dealing with DNAExplore the living world — find out how ecology and evolution are the glue that holds everything togetherLet's get physical — peruse the principles of physiology to get a handle on animal structure and functionGo green — take a look at the life of plants and understand how they acquire energy, reproduce, and so much moreOpen the book and find:Plain–English explanations of how living matter worksThe parts and functions of cellsHow food works as a source of energyThe 411 on reproduction and geneticsFascinating facts about DNA technologyThe biology of bacteria and virusesHow humans affect the circle of lifeAn overview of human anatomyInnate human defenses (and adaptive ones, too!)Learn to:Identify and dissect the many structures and functions of plants and animalsGrasp the latest discoveries in evolutionary, reproductive, and ecological biologyThink like a biologist and use scientific methods