Bi 1 | The Great Ideas of Biology (2026)
“So much of science proceeds by telling stories.” — Stephen Jay Gould
About
Biological processes take place across an incredible range of spatial and temporal scales, from subcellular signal transduction events (\(t \sim 10^{-9} \textrm{ s}\), \(l \sim 10^{-10} \textrm{ m}\)) to the dynamics of whole ecosystems (\(l \sim 10^{5} \textrm{ m}\)) and the evolution of life (\(t \sim 10^{16} \textrm{ s}\)). This course is your invitation to explore the rich variety of natural phenomena underlying life on Earth. We’ll tour everything from the continent-crossing migrations of whales and wildebeest to the thermodynamics of genes and cells — with special emphasis on opportunities where quantitative tools, real data, and modern methodology can sharpen our thinking.
Where and When?
Each week will consist of two lectures, recitation sections, and office hours. Recitations and office hours begin the second week of class.
Lectures
| Day | Time | Place |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | 1:00pm – 2:25pm | Chen 100 |
| Thursday | 1:00pm – 2:25pm | Chen 100 |
Recitations
| Day | Time | Place | TAs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 9:00am – 9:55am | Broad 100 | Karen, Beatrice, Grace |
| Monday | 5:00pm – 5:55pm | Broad 100 | Rosalind, Kian, Sidd |
| Tuesday | 12:00pm – 12:55pm | Chen 100 | Pierre, Andrew, Maxwell |
| Tuesday | 5:00pm – 5:55pm | Broad 100 | Orna, Emily |
| Tuesday | 6:00pm – 6:55pm | Broad 100 | Sara, Albert, Tanvi |
| Wednesday | 9:00am – 9:55am | Broad 100 | Stephen, Tanish, Naya |
| Wednesday | 5:00pm – 5:55pm | Broad 100 | Ryan, Jayden, Otis |
Office Hours
| Day | Time | Place | TAs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday | 7:00pm – 8:00pm | Second Floor of Chen | Maxwell |
| Sunday | 8:00pm – 9:00pm | Chen 100 | Andrew |
| Sunday | 11:00am – 12:00pm | Outside Red Door | Emily, Orna |
| Monday | 10:00am – 11:00am | Outside Red Door | Karen |
| Monday | 4:00pm – 5:00pm | Chen breezeway | Kian |
| Monday | 1:00pm – 2:00pm | Broad 156 | Rosalind |
| Monday | 7:00pm – 8:00pm | Red Door Basement | Tanish, Stephen |
| Tuesday | 12:00pm – 1:00pm | SFL 328 | Grace |
| Tuesday | 2:45pm – 3:45pm | Outside Red Door | Pierre |
| Tuesday | 4:00pm – 5:00pm | Second Floor of Chen | Tanvi |
| Wednesday | 1:00pm – 2:00pm | Broad 156 | Sara |
| Wednesday | 4:00pm – 5:00pm | Broad 156 | Albert |
| Wednesday | 8:00pm – 9:00pm | Second Floor of Chen | Ryan |
| Thursday | 5:00pm – 6:00pm | Chen 130 | Sidd |
| Friday | 10:00am – 11:00am | SFL room 326 | Beatrice |
| Friday | 1:00pm – 2:00pm | Outside Red Door | Naya |
| Friday | 8:00pm – 9:00pm | Second Floor of Chen | Otis |
| Saturday | 3:00pm – 4:00pm | Second Floor of Chen | Jayden |