🧬

AI-POWERED TEACHING.

HUMAN-CENTERED LEARNING.

FROM ATOMS TO ECOSYSTEMS TO OUR SHARED FUTURE

Reinventing Biology Teaching

Exploring Life: Biology Lecture Series

A complete biology lecture series - free for students and instructors. Build for clarity, curiosity, and impact. Designed to support college-level learning, whether in the classroom or at home. Part of the Cognella Universe (2026).

Before We Begin

Why This Course Exists

Discover the story behind Exploring Life— and hear directly from students and faculty who’ve experienced it.

Meet Your Guides

Your teaching team for Exploring Life.

🌟 Meet Dr.O

I’m Dr. O—a real person, with just a touch of AI magic—and the creator of this course. Have an idea to make it better? Email me using the link at the bottom of the page.

🌟 Meet AiAi

I’m AiAi, Dr.O’s assistant.
I’m not human, but I’m here to support you every step of the way. Got a question? Just use the button on the right to ask me!

Try a Quick Simulation

Meet your team and join a short interactive journey before diving into the lectures. Click “Start,” then use the arrows to explore. For the best experience, turn on your sound and go full screen.

Lecture Library

🔬 Section I – Foundations of Biology

Chapters 1–5 | Scientific Thinking and Chemistry of Life
This section introduces the foundations of biology—how science works, what makes something alive, and the chemical principles that support all life. You’ll explore scientific reasoning, atoms, bonding, water, and carbon-based molecules that form the building blocks of cells.

Section I: Lectures ▼
Chapter 1 – Scientific Thinking
What is science, and how do scientists explore the world? Learn about hypotheses, theories, laws, and the scientific method.
Chapter 2 – Fundamentals of Atoms
Explore atomic structure, matter, subatomic particles, and the periodic table.
Chapter 3 – Chemical Bonds
Understand ionic, covalent, hydrogen bonds and how atoms combine.
Chapter 4 – Water
Dive into the properties of water—cohesion, pH, acids, bases—and why it’s essential.
Chapter 5 – Carbon & Macromolecules
Why carbon is life’s backbone, functional groups, macromolecules, and ATP.
🎓 Earn a Free Certificate

Complete Section 1 and take the quiz to receive your personalized certificate!

Take the Quiz

⚠️ Note: Certificates are emailed automatically upon successful quiz completion. If more than 50 requests are made in a single day, some certificates may be delayed up to 24 hours.

🧫 Section II – The Cellular Blueprint

Chapters 6–11 | Origin of Life, Cell Structure, Membranes, and Energy Flow
This section explores how life began and how cells function as life’s fundamental units. You’ll discover how cells form, maintain boundaries, and process energy through photosynthesis and respiration—core processes that power all living organisms.

Section II: Lectures ▼
Chapter 6 – Origin of Life
Explore early Earth, the conditions that supported life’s emergence, and the leading theories for how life began from nonliving matter.
Chapter 7 – Prokaryotes
Meet bacteria and archaea—life’s simplest and most ancient forms. Learn about their structure, diversity, and role in shaping Earth's atmosphere.
Chapter 8 – Eukaryote Cells
Examine the internal complexity of eukaryotic cells—membranes, organelles, and energy systems that support life’s higher forms.
Chapter 9 – Membranes and Cellularity
Understand how membranes form boundaries, regulate exchange, and support the structure and behavior of cells in living organisms.
Chapter 10 – Energy Flow in Life
Explore Earth’s energy balance—where our planet’s energy comes from, how living organisms use it, and how it's stored and preserved, both within organisms and across ecosystems.
Chapter 11 – Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration
Explore how chloroplasts capture sunlight to make glucose, how mitochondria release its energy as ATP, and how fermentation provides a backup without oxygen.
🎓 Earn a Free Certificate

Complete Section 2 and take the quiz to receive your personalized certificate!

Take the Quiz

⚠️ Note: Certificates are emailed automatically upon successful quiz completion. If more than 50 requests are made in a single day, some certificates may be delayed up to 24 hours.

🧬 Section III – Genetics & Evolution

Chapters 12–17 | DNA, Inheritance, and Evolutionary Change
From DNA and cell division to Mendelian inheritance and modern evolutionary theory, this section connects the molecular basis of life to the diversity of species. It also explores how traits are passed down, how variation arises, and how populations evolve over time.

Section III: Lectures ▼
Chapter 12 – DNA and the Genetic Code
Discover the structure of DNA, how it’s replicated, and how its code directs the building of proteins through transcription and translation.
Chapter 13 – Cell Division and Reproduction
Learn how cells divide through mitosis and meiosis, and how sexual reproduction contributes to genetic variation.
Chapter 14 – Patterns of Inheritance
Explore Mendel’s laws, dominant and recessive traits, Punnett squares, and how genes are passed from one generation to the next.
Chapter 15 – Applied Genetics and Epigenetics
Delve into pedigrees, test crosses, genetic conditions, gene expression, and how environment can influence heredity.
Chapter 16 – Exploring Evolution
Learn how evolution works at the genetic and species levels—covering microevolution, speciation, natural selection, and phylogenetic trees.
Chapter 17 – Evidence of Evolution
Explore fossil records, anatomy, embryology, DNA comparisons, and real-time evolution to understand how species change over time.
🎓 Earn a Free Certificate

Complete Section 3 and take the quiz to receive your personalized certificate!

Take the Quiz

⚠️ Note: Certificates are emailed automatically upon successful quiz completion. If more than 50 requests are made in a single day, some certificates may be delayed up to 24 hours.

🌿 Section IV – Ecology & Biodiversity

Chapters 18–22 | Plants, Animals, Ecosystems, and Global Interactions
This section investigates the rich diversity of life, from plants and animals to ecosystems and biomes. You’ll examine the adaptations that drive survival, the interdependence of species, and the impact of human actions on Earth's biosphere.

Section IV: Lectures ▼
Chapter 18 – Plants
Explore the evolutionary journey of plants from aquatic algae to flowering species. Learn how innovations like roots, seeds, and flowers enabled plant life to colonize land.
Chapter 19 – Invertebrates
Meet the vast and varied world of invertebrates—from sponges and jellyfish to mollusks and arthropods. Discover how these animals thrive without backbones.
Chapter 20 – Vertebrates
Trace the evolution of vertebrates, including fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Learn about key features like jaws, limbs, and warm-bloodedness.
Chapter 21 – Human Evolution
Explore our human story—from early hominins to Homo sapiens. Examine fossil evidence, brain development, tool use, and key adaptations like bipedalism and speech.
Chapter 22 – Ecology
Discover how organisms interact with each other and their environments. Topics include ecosystems, food webs, succession, biomes, and sustainability.
Chapter 23 – Your Role in Ecology
The final chapter brings it all together—what we've done to the planet, what we’ve learned, and how each of us can make a difference moving forward.
🎓 Earn a Free Certificate

Complete Section 4 and take the quiz to receive your personalized certificate!

Take the Quiz

⚠️ Note: Certificates are emailed automatically upon successful quiz completion. If more than 50 requests are made in a single day, some certificates may be delayed up to 24 hours.

Conclusion

This final video brings the course full circle—reflecting on the big ideas we’ve explored, from the origin of life to our role in the planet’s future. It’s not just a conclusion—it’s a call to stay curious, stay informed, and stay connected to life.

Credits / Legal

© Natalia Comer. All rights reserved.
Licensed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International License.
Do not extract or reuse individual images or slides.
Full course adoption is required for any authorized use beyond lecture viewing.

📄 Credits and acknowledgments:
https://exploringlifebio-credits.carrd.co/

Ready to Adopt?

For Instructors

➤Interactive textbook ISBN: 979-8-8233-8844-3 is available through Cognella (2026).The full turn-key package includes:• Interactive book
• Projects, discussion topics, assignments
• Hands-on labs using household materials
• Fully narrated editable lectures and slides
• Test bank, flashcards, faculty support
• Upcoming: Interactive simulations and an AI tutor (currently in development)
• More

Questions?

Have a question about the course, adoption, or using the lecture materials?