The tutor visits the distinction between the similar-sounding structures rhizoid and rhizome. Rhizoids are simple structures that resemble roots but are are more primitive. They provide anchorage and some absorption of water and nutrients. Fungi and mosses have rhizoids in …
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The tutor comments about the reproductive pathways of zygospore fungi, including black bread mold. With a zygospore fungus, such as black bread mold, the part you see above the surface comprises sporangia (singular: sporangium), which release spores. Spores have n …
The tutor visits the related terms mitosis and meiosis. Mitosis is, from a simple point of view, cell division: it forms two daughter cells, each identical to the original parent cell. It is the process by which organisms grow and …
The tutor defines insulin response and insulin resistance and explains their connection. Recall: herein, ACV means apple cider vinegar. In yesterday’s post I mentioned my discovery that apple cider vinegar potentially increases the effectiveness of insulin. As carbohydrates are digested, …
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The tutor continues about the nervous system. A reflex, like kicking out after a tap below the knee-cap or pulling the hand back from a hot stove, is a familiar idea. Most people understand “reflex” to mean “done automatically” or …
The tutor offers a summary of how a nerve impulse propagates. The cells that carry nerve impulses are called neurons. Neurons have long conduits through which the impulses travel. A nerve impulse, as it conducts along a neuron, can be …
The tutor discusses the exponential growth constant with an example. Let’s imagine a population, initially 100, doubles every 25 hours. To a biologist growing a culture, it’s probably an easy situation to consider. Such a growth pattern would likely be …
Heading into another biology conference, the tutor offers a prelude about DNA vs RNA. DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid; RNA indicates ribonucleic acid. Not surprisingly, both types of molecules are classified as nucleic acids. What are they used for, and …
The tutor comments on a tree he found back in July. Browsing through my field guide in early summer, I chanced upon the page about the black hawthorn. Years earlier I’d heard about the hawthorn tree and its potential religious …
The tutor brings another finding about the beloved black locust tree. The black locust is a tree I remember from my childhood, back in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley (see my post here). This summer I became aware that black locust …