Creativity break: why is learning biology important?

(pencil scribbling) (gentle upbeat music) - I think biology is so critical for everybody to learn because it defines who we are as human beings, as animals. It defines the whole animal kingdom, and then it goes on to define the whole plant kingdom, the insect kingdom. Understanding those principles of how living things are organized is not only a beautiful thing to understand, but it gives deep insight and deep appreciation for our own lives, and I think that is the core of why I find it so important that everybody study this beautiful area of academia. - Biology is super important to learn for so many reasons. But the reason that stands out most to me is, well, the rarity of life outside of our little corner of the universe. You might not know what I mean, but stick with me for a sec. So we are positively surrounded by biology every day here on Earth, but we haven't encountered life or even evidence of life outside of this little blue marvel, even though there is so much cosmic real estate out there. Life is really complicated, and that goes for starting and sustaining life. Somehow ancient organisms made it work here, but that doesn't mean that it's easy. All of us carry on this legacy of life finding a way, but one day maybe life will have to find a way through us. Maybe Earth becomes inhospitable for some reason and we have to figure out how to live somewhere else. On that day, success will depend on how well we understand the heaps of obstacles that the stubbornness of life has already overcome.