1-5 Introduction to Metabolism

Lecture 1.5: Introduction to Metabolism

Overview

In the year 1976, two probes–comprising the Viking missions–landed on the surface of Mars. These were the first attempts to find life off the Earth. They carried a variety of experiments searching mainly for evidence of metabolism. In this module, we will study the structure of one of these experiments–the Labeled Release or LR experiment–and its results. But we can’t begin to understand the LR experiment without at least a fundamental understanding of one key property of life–metabolism.

Activities

  1. Read section 9.1 in the textbook.
  2. Download Lecture 1.5 slides.
  3. Do one of the following:
    1. In-person section: Attend Lecture 1.5.
    2. Online section: Watch the following videos:
      1. Video 1.5.1, NASA Viking’s Search for Life on Mars.
      2. Video 1.5.2, Results of Viking’s Search for Life.
  4. Complete the questions on Study Guide 1.5.

Assessment

After completing the activities, log into Canvas, launch BIO 181 and complete Lec 1.5 Quiz.