Honors DNA & Evolution

DNA & Evolution is a 5-credit course for non-majors.

Course description

Evolution and genetics are the cornerstones of modern biology. DNA & Evolution will explore these fields in the context of contemporary issues that are important to individuals and societies. Although examples will be drawn from a variety of organisms, the primary emphasis will be on humans. Among the questions we will consider are these:

Where did modern humans come from?
Why do children resemble their parents?
Do genes influence variation in personality, intelligence, and behavior?
What can genetic analyses reveal about evolutionary history and the relationships among species?
Can genetic analyses allow us to predict the evolutionary future?
Given what our society knows about evolution and genetics, should we take responsibility for guiding the evolutionary future of human populations?

Learning goals

Throughout the course, my goal will be to help students develop sufficient biological sophistication to understand new discoveries in genetics and evolution, talk to their doctors, and make rational personal and political choices about biological issues. Students will read secondary and primary literature, ask questions, design experiments, analyze and interpret data, and draw their own conclusions.

Tentative schedule of topics

The schedule of topics is flexible, based on your background and interests. I want to learn from you what issues in evolution and genetics are most compelling and important from your perspective. Peruse the readings, browse journals, newspapers, and the web, and let me know what you want to cover.

Week 1: Why Study Evolution and Genetics?

Could understanding evolution and genetics save your life?
What can studying evolution and genetics teach us about how the world works?

Week 2: The mechanism of evolution

What makes populations evolve?
How can we use Darwin’s theory to understand puzzling traits?

Week 3: Variation and Inheritance

What makes every individual unique?
Why do offspring resemble their parents?

Week 4: Genetics

How can we predict the traits of offspring?
Genetic modification—how, why, and should we?

Week 5: Evolutionary Genetics

What has genetics added to our understanding of evolution?
Can we predict the evolutionary future of populations?

Week 6: More Evolutionary Genetics

Can we engineer how populations evolve?
Should we take responsibility for the future of human evolution?

Week 7: Genotype and Phenotype

Do genes influence our intelligence, personality, and behavior?
How well do we understand the connection between genotype and phenotype?

Week 8: Reconstructing History

How can we reconstruct evolutionary history in ideal and non-ideal cases?
How can we reconstruct history using genetic data?

Week 9: Human Evolutionary History

Did humans and neanderthals ever fall in love?
What does the tree of all life look like?

Week 10: The Impact of History on Modern Humans

Why are women and men different?
What’s wrong with time travel?