Includes index.

Contents: An introduction to life on earth -- The life of a cell: Atoms, molecules and life -- Cell membrane structure and function -- Energy flow in the life of a cell -- Capturing solar energy: Photosynthesis -- Harvesting energy: Glycolysis and cellular respiration -- Inheritance: DNA: The molecule of heredity -- Gene expression and regulation -- The continuity of life: How cells reproduce -- Patterns of inheritance -- Biotechnology -- Evolution: Principles of evolution -- How populations evolve -- The history of life on earth -- The diversity of life -- Plant anatomy and physiology: Plant form and function -- The plant life cycle -- Animal anatomy and physiology: Homeostasis and the organization of the animal body -- Circulation and respiration -- Nutrition, digestion and excretion -- Defenses against disease: The immune response -- Chemical control of the animal body: The endocrine system -- The nervous system and the senses -- Animal reproduction and development -- Animal behaviour -- Ecology: Population growth -- Community interactions -- How do ecosystem work -- Earth's diverse ecosystems.