Introduction to Biology: Crash Course Biology #1

Biology is the study of life—a four-letter word that connects you to 4 billion years worth of family tree. The word “life” can be tricky to define, but a shared set of characteristics helps biologists identify living things. In this episode of Crash Course Biology, you’ll learn how all of life is connected, and why studying biology can help us better understand ourselves and our relationship to all living things.

Chapters:
Welcome to Crash Course Biology! 00:00
Life's Characteristics 2:14
Is a Virus Alive? 6:18
Life Beyond Earth 8:52
Biology and You 10:03
All Life is Connected 10:44
Review & Credits 11:59

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Thanks to the following patrons for their generous monthly contributions that help keep Crash Course free for everyone forever:
Katie, Tori Thomas, DL Singfield, Ken Davidian, Stephen Akuffo, Toni Miles, Steve Segreto, Kyle & Katherine Callahan, Laurel Stevens, Burt Humburg, Allyson Martin, Aziz Y, Perry Joyce, Scott Harrison, Mark & Susan Billian, Alan Bridgeman, Rachel Creager, Breanna Bosso, Matt Curls, Jennifer Killen, Jon Allen, Sarah & Nathan Catchings, team dorsey, Trevin Beattie, Eric Koslow, Jennifer Dineen, Indija-ka Siriwardena, Jason Rostoker, Siobhán, Ken Penttinen, Nathan Taylor, Les Aker, William McGraw, ClareG, Rizwan Kassim, Constance Urist, Alex Hackman, Pineapples of Solidarity, Katie Dean, Stephen McCandless, Wai Jack Sin, Ian Dundore, Justin, Mark, Caleb Weeks.
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[vlogbrothers]

Very grateful to Dr. Sammy for keeping the Aristotle jokes alive. So excited for this series!!!! -John

[drawyourownlife]

Used the old Crash Course at the time it came out and was a biology student myself. This new version is refreshing, yet I feel it's more oriented to highschoolers. (which is fine, I will this when teaching) Maybe it's because I'm older, or because this first ep is just introducing biology, I'm curious how it will grow further. So thanks for making a wider oriented version of Crash Course!

[Snailgodonion]

Finally a remake of the classical series. I’m really looking forward to all future episodes! Almost got my bachelor’s in biology, so this series will surely come in handy if they go deep enough into detail. Hopes are up! I’m cheering you on Dr. Sammy!

[G-Tarun]

I first saw Dr. Sammy on Khan Academy's new Biology course, and now on CC Bio 2.0! This intro is so masterfully crafted and delivered - I can see how you learnt from the best of Crash Course innovations across subjects, and combined it with Dr. Sammy's gift for teaching all things life in his inimitable, engaging style!

This structure of listing out the characteristics of life without sounding like a monotonous textbook — it makes me think a similar format could be followed for a Crash Course Consciousness/Cognitive Science, if you do eventually make it! I do suggest a 50-episode Consciousness over a shorter CogSci series, since it's important to understand it from as many perspectives as possible — global philosophy, neuroscience, psychology, evolution, linguistics, comparative behavioural biology, etc. Also maybe a super-applied Behavioral Science course too, focusing on how helps us build a better world.

[strange_thing-arra-]

YES im so happy that the newer crash course biology is here! Although i do miss hank, this guy teaches really nicely

[niecchan]

I studied biology in university and I am so loving this video! Thank you Crash Course. May you always be successful!

[doomedmessenger]

He's a really good pick for this Biology-redux. Think he's one of the most Hank-like presenters so far, which is a compliment to him. ^^ Love his energy. I'll be keeping an eye on this Crash Course session.

[EyeLean]

The Hank Green CC Biology series is a tough act to follow - but they clearly picked the right person to do so! Great episode, and I'm so looking forward to the rest of the series!

[alexreid]

It’s so nice to see an updated series! I watched these when I was taking biology in high school. I’ve taken a lot of college biology and ecology classes now, so it’s cool to watch these from a new perspective. (PS: updated, full length ecology series? would love that)

[ShakalDraconis]

I personally prefer one of the newer approaches to the whole "are viruses alive" question, viewing the infected cell as the actual organism, and the viral load as the means of reproduction. In this way the virus is more akin to a mote of pollen.

Now PRIONS, THOSE are the TRUE edge case!

[KillerTacos]

Dr Sammy did an incredible job in this video. This made me very excited for the rest of the series

[ernestopreciado]

I very much like the definition of life that Hank onces gave in Dear Hank & John, "something is alive when it needs something, and then does something to get it"

[JHaven-lglj]

I’m so looking forward to this whole series, it’s my first Crash Course!

[amandanorton]

The new Botany series and now this! I love the new stuff they are putting out and I'm looking forward to episode 2

[luisvasquez]

I love the addition of Dr. Sammy, can’t wait to see more episodes!

[mitchilaine]

I am soo thrilled with this first episode! I think they're following a textbook (from openstax?) or just maybe the very beginning of biology. At school, we jump straight to cells and so on, so this was such a nice kickstart. I may not be taking biology(future pharmacy student here), but i sure am gonna love this series and love the subject even more.

[clcsqueejy]

I watched Dr. Sammy on his Wired interview and thought "man, this makes me want to learn so much more about biology." So I searched for a biology crash course, and here he is! I'm so excited to learn more about this subject from someone so good at explaining this subject.

[nateweinand]

This is going to be a great series! Dr. Sammy is a great host!

[funkykong]

I wish there was a way to get notifications just for specific CrashCourse courses like this one

[scottlott]

This guy sounds like LeVar Burton when he did Reading Rainbow back in the day. Gives me goose bumps!