Life on Earth: At a Glance

Life on Earth
Audesirk & Audesirk
Prentice-Hall, Inc.

A Comparison of Nervous and Endocrine Communication
The Functions and Structure of Neurons: Dendrites receive signals from other neurons or the environment.
The cell body integrates electrical signals from the dendrites and maintains the neuron .
The axon carries electrical signals from the cell body to their destination.
Synaptic terminals communicate with other neurons, muscles, or glands at synapses.

Building and Operating a Nervous System
Information processing requires four basic operations.
Neural pathways direct behavior.

The Human Nervous System
The peripheral nervous system links the central nervous system to the body.
The central nervous system consists of the spinal cord and brain.
The spinal cord is a cable of axons protected by the backbone.
The brain consists of several parts specialized for specific functions.

Brain and Mind
The "left brain" and "right brain" are specialized for different functions.
The mechanisms of learning and memory are poorly understood.
Insights on how the brain creates the mind come from diverse sources.

Receptor Mechanisms

Sound Perception: Hearing
The structure of the ear helps capture, transmit, and transduce sound.
Sound transduction is aided by the structure of the cochlea.

Sensing Light: Photoreception
The mammalian eye collects, focuses, and transduces light waves.
Binocular vision allows depth perception.

Smell and Taste: Chemoreception
The ability to smell arises from olfactory receptors.
Taste receptors are found in clusters on the tongue.

Sensing Pain

Evolutionary Connections: Natural Selection Shapes Perception; The cell body integrates electrical signals from the dendrites and maintains the neuron .
The axon carries electrical signals from the cell body to their destination.
Synaptic terminals communicate with other neurons, muscles, or glands at synapses.

Building and Operating a Nervous System
Information processing requires four basic operations.
Neural pathways direct behavior.

The Human Nervous System
The peripheral nervous system links the central nervous system to the body.
The central nervous system consists of the spinal cord and brain.
The spinal cord is a cable of axons protected by the backbone.
The brain consists of several parts specialized for specific functions.

Brain and Mind
The "left brain" and "right brain" are specialized for different functions.
The mechanisms of learning and memory are poorly understood.
Insights on how the brain creates the mind come from diverse sources.

Receptor Mechanisms

Sound Perception: Hearing
The structure of the ear helps capture, transmit, and transduce sound.
Sound transduction is aided by the structure of the cochlea.

Sensing Light: Photoreception
The mammalian eye collects, focuses, and transduces light waves.
Binocular vision allows depth perception.

Smell and Taste: Chemoreception
The ability to smell arises from olfactory receptors.
Taste receptors are found in clusters on the tongue.

Sensing Pain

Evolutionary Connections: Natural Selection Shapes Perception; The axon carries electrical signals from the cell body to their destination.
Synaptic terminals communicate with other neurons, muscles, or glands at synapses.

Building and Operating a Nervous System
Information processing requires four basic operations.
Neural pathways direct behavior.

The Human Nervous System
The peripheral nervous system links the central nervous system to the body.
The central nervous system consists of the spinal cord and brain.
The spinal cord is a cable of axons protected by the backbone.
The brain consists of several parts specialized for specific functions.

Brain and Mind
The "left brain" and "right brain" are specialized for different functions.
The mechanisms of learning and memory are poorly understood.
Insights on how the brain creates the mind come from diverse sources.

Receptor Mechanisms

Sound Perception: Hearing
The structure of the ear helps capture, transmit, and transduce sound.
Sound transduction is aided by the structure of the cochlea.

Sensing Light: Photoreception
The mammalian eye collects, focuses, and transduces light waves.
Binocular vision allows depth perception.

Smell and Taste: Chemoreception
The ability to smell arises from olfactory receptors.
Taste receptors are found in clusters on the tongue.

Sensing Pain

Evolutionary Connections: Natural Selection Shapes Perception; Synaptic terminals communicate with other neurons, muscles, or glands at synapses.

Building and Operating a Nervous System
Information processing requires four basic operations.
Neural pathways direct behavior.

The Human Nervous System
The peripheral nervous system links the central nervous system to the body.
The central nervous system consists of the spinal cord and brain.
The spinal cord is a cable of axons protected by the backbone.
The brain consists of several parts specialized for specific functions.

Brain and Mind
The "left brain" and "right brain" are specialized for different functions.
The mechanisms of learning and memory are poorly understood.
Insights on how the brain creates the mind come from diverse sources.

Receptor Mechanisms

Sound Perception: Hearing
The structure of the ear helps capture, transmit, and transduce sound.
Sound transduction is aided by the structure of the cochlea.

Sensing Light: Photoreception
The mammalian eye collects, focuses, and transduces light waves.
Binocular vision allows depth perception.

Smell and Taste: Chemoreception
The ability to smell arises from olfactory receptors.
Taste receptors are found in clusters on the tongue.

Sensing Pain

Evolutionary Connections: Natural Selection Shapes Perception
Building and Operating a Nervous System: Information processing requires four basic operations.
Neural pathways direct behavior.

The Human Nervous System
The peripheral nervous system links the central nervous system to the body.
The central nervous system consists of the spinal cord and brain.
The spinal cord is a cable of axons protected by the backbone.
The brain consists of several parts specialized for specific functions.

Brain and Mind
The "left brain" and "right brain" are specialized for different functions.
The mechanisms of learning and memory are poorly understood.
Insights on how the brain creates the mind come from diverse sources.

Receptor Mechanisms

Sound Perception: Hearing
The structure of the ear helps capture, transmit, and transduce sound.
Sound transduction is aided by the structure of the cochlea.

Sensing Light: Photoreception
The mammalian eye collects, focuses, and transduces light waves.
Binocular vision allows depth perception.

Smell and Taste: Chemoreception
The ability to smell arises from olfactory receptors.
Taste receptors are found in clusters on the tongue.

Sensing Pain

Evolutionary Connections: Natural Selection Shapes Perception; Neural pathways direct behavior.

The Human Nervous System
The peripheral nervous system links the central nervous system to the body.
The central nervous system consists of the spinal cord and brain.
The spinal cord is a cable of axons protected by the backbone.
The brain consists of several parts specialized for specific functions.

Brain and Mind
The "left brain" and "right brain" are specialized for different functions.
The mechanisms of learning and memory are poorly understood.
Insights on how the brain creates the mind come from diverse sources.

Receptor Mechanisms

Sound Perception: Hearing
The structure of the ear helps capture, transmit, and transduce sound.
Sound transduction is aided by the structure of the cochlea.

Sensing Light: Photoreception
The mammalian eye collects, focuses, and transduces light waves.
Binocular vision allows depth perception.

Smell and Taste: Chemoreception
The ability to smell arises from olfactory receptors.
Taste receptors are found in clusters on the tongue.

Sensing Pain

Evolutionary Connections: Natural Selection Shapes Perception
The Human Nervous System: The peripheral nervous system links the central nervous system to the body.
The central nervous system consists of the spinal cord and brain.
The spinal cord is a cable of axons protected by the backbone.
The brain consists of several parts specialized for specific functions.

Brain and Mind
The "left brain" and "right brain" are specialized for different functions.
The mechanisms of learning and memory are poorly understood.
Insights on how the brain creates the mind come from diverse sources.

Receptor Mechanisms

Sound Perception: Hearing
The structure of the ear helps capture, transmit, and transduce sound.
Sound transduction is aided by the structure of the cochlea.

Sensing Light: Photoreception
The mammalian eye collects, focuses, and transduces light waves.
Binocular vision allows depth perception.

Smell and Taste: Chemoreception
The ability to smell arises from olfactory receptors.
Taste receptors are found in clusters on the tongue.

Sensing Pain

Evolutionary Connections: Natural Selection Shapes Perception; The central nervous system consists of the spinal cord and brain.
The spinal cord is a cable of axons protected by the backbone.
The brain consists of several parts specialized for specific functions.

Brain and Mind
The "left brain" and "right brain" are specialized for different functions.
The mechanisms of learning and memory are poorly understood.
Insights on how the brain creates the mind come from diverse sources.

Receptor Mechanisms

Sound Perception: Hearing
The structure of the ear helps capture, transmit, and transduce sound.
Sound transduction is aided by the structure of the cochlea.

Sensing Light: Photoreception
The mammalian eye collects, focuses, and transduces light waves.
Binocular vision allows depth perception.

Smell and Taste: Chemoreception
The ability to smell arises from olfactory receptors.
Taste receptors are found in clusters on the tongue.

Sensing Pain

Evolutionary Connections: Natural Selection Shapes Perception; The spinal cord is a cable of axons protected by the backbone.
The brain consists of several parts specialized for specific functions.

Brain and Mind
The "left brain" and "right brain" are specialized for different functions.
The mechanisms of learning and memory are poorly understood.
Insights on how the brain creates the mind come from diverse sources.

Receptor Mechanisms

Sound Perception: Hearing
The structure of the ear helps capture, transmit, and transduce sound.
Sound transduction is aided by the structure of the cochlea.

Sensing Light: Photoreception
The mammalian eye collects, focuses, and transduces light waves.
Binocular vision allows depth perception.

Smell and Taste: Chemoreception
The ability to smell arises from olfactory receptors.
Taste receptors are found in clusters on the tongue.

Sensing Pain

Evolutionary Connections: Natural Selection Shapes Perception; The brain consists of several parts specialized for specific functions.

Brain and Mind
The "left brain" and "right brain" are specialized for different functions.
The mechanisms of learning and memory are poorly understood.
Insights on how the brain creates the mind come from diverse sources.

Receptor Mechanisms

Sound Perception: Hearing
The structure of the ear helps capture, transmit, and transduce sound.
Sound transduction is aided by the structure of the cochlea.

Sensing Light: Photoreception
The mammalian eye collects, focuses, and transduces light waves.
Binocular vision allows depth perception.

Smell and Taste: Chemoreception
The ability to smell arises from olfactory receptors.
Taste receptors are found in clusters on the tongue.

Sensing Pain

Evolutionary Connections: Natural Selection Shapes Perception
Brain and Mind: The "left brain" and "right brain" are specialized for different functions.
The mechanisms of learning and memory are poorly understood.
Insights on how the brain creates the mind come from diverse sources.

Receptor Mechanisms

Sound Perception: Hearing
The structure of the ear helps capture, transmit, and transduce sound.
Sound transduction is aided by the structure of the cochlea.

Sensing Light: Photoreception
The mammalian eye collects, focuses, and transduces light waves.
Binocular vision allows depth perception.

Smell and Taste: Chemoreception
The ability to smell arises from olfactory receptors.
Taste receptors are found in clusters on the tongue.

Sensing Pain

Evolutionary Connections: Natural Selection Shapes Perception; The mechanisms of learning and memory are poorly understood.
Insights on how the brain creates the mind come from diverse sources.

Receptor Mechanisms

Sound Perception: Hearing
The structure of the ear helps capture, transmit, and transduce sound.
Sound transduction is aided by the structure of the cochlea.

Sensing Light: Photoreception
The mammalian eye collects, focuses, and transduces light waves.
Binocular vision allows depth perception.

Smell and Taste: Chemoreception
The ability to smell arises from olfactory receptors.
Taste receptors are found in clusters on the tongue.

Sensing Pain

Evolutionary Connections: Natural Selection Shapes Perception; Insights on how the brain creates the mind come from diverse sources.

Receptor Mechanisms

Sound Perception: Hearing
The structure of the ear helps capture, transmit, and transduce sound.
Sound transduction is aided by the structure of the cochlea.

Sensing Light: Photoreception
The mammalian eye collects, focuses, and transduces light waves.
Binocular vision allows depth perception.

Smell and Taste: Chemoreception
The ability to smell arises from olfactory receptors.
Taste receptors are found in clusters on the tongue.

Sensing Pain

Evolutionary Connections: Natural Selection Shapes Perception
Receptor Mechanisms
Sound Perception: Hearing: The structure of the ear helps capture, transmit, and transduce sound.
Sound transduction is aided by the structure of the cochlea.

Sensing Light: Photoreception
The mammalian eye collects, focuses, and transduces light waves.
Binocular vision allows depth perception.

Smell and Taste: Chemoreception
The ability to smell arises from olfactory receptors.
Taste receptors are found in clusters on the tongue.

Sensing Pain

Evolutionary Connections: Natural Selection Shapes Perception; Sound transduction is aided by the structure of the cochlea.

Sensing Light: Photoreception
The mammalian eye collects, focuses, and transduces light waves.
Binocular vision allows depth perception.

Smell and Taste: Chemoreception
The ability to smell arises from olfactory receptors.
Taste receptors are found in clusters on the tongue.

Sensing Pain

Evolutionary Connections: Natural Selection Shapes Perception
Sensing Light: Photoreception: The mammalian eye collects, focuses, and transduces light waves.
Binocular vision allows depth perception.

Smell and Taste: Chemoreception
The ability to smell arises from olfactory receptors.
Taste receptors are found in clusters on the tongue.

Sensing Pain

Evolutionary Connections: Natural Selection Shapes Perception; Binocular vision allows depth perception.

Smell and Taste: Chemoreception
The ability to smell arises from olfactory receptors.
Taste receptors are found in clusters on the tongue.

Sensing Pain

Evolutionary Connections: Natural Selection Shapes Perception
Smell and Taste: Chemoreception: The ability to smell arises from olfactory receptors.
Taste receptors are found in clusters on the tongue.

Sensing Pain

Evolutionary Connections: Natural Selection Shapes Perception; Taste receptors are found in clusters on the tongue.

Sensing Pain

Evolutionary Connections: Natural Selection Shapes Perception
Sensing Pain
Evolutionary Connections: Natural Selection Shapes Perception

Designed in cooperation with Andrew Stull and Steven Brunasso.

Last Update - July 25, 1997