BISC 102- Final Exam Guide - Comprehensive Notes for the exam ( 22 pages long!)

• School: Simon Fraser University
• Department: Biological Sciences
• Course: BISC 102
• Professor: Ron Ydenberg

Document Summary

Before science developed, most cultures explained life using myths in which supernatural beings created humans and their world. What gradually disposed of these ancient beliefs, was science having its principle that ideas must be tested against data. The central historical idea about relationships between the lifeforms on our planet is summarized in the great chain of being . Arranges lifeforms in a hierarchy or ladder, with some higher or better than others. Humans at the top, with only gods ranking higher. 1700"s establishing modern science, medicine, philosophy, industry, political economy and government. As the middle ages closed, scientists gures out that earth rotated around the sun and that the planet was very old and constantly changing. Humans did not evolve from apes and we do not occupy a higher rung on the evolutionary ladder. Any two lifeforms on the planet must share a branching point at some point in the past. Last universal common ancestor (luca) existed about 3800 mya.