Natural Selection

Easy to Digest

Most human infants can produce lactase, an enzyme that breaks down the main sugar in milk. About two-thirds of people stop producing this enzyme as they age, but some have a trait that allows them to keep producing lactase throughout their lives. In this new Data Point activity, students examine a scientific figure from a study that investigated how human populations possibly adapted to milk consumption, both genetically and culturally.

Genetic Medicine

Understanding differences in gene expression can lead to treatments for certain diseases. In this new Scientists at Work video, learn how two patients with the same genetic variation have vastly different outcomes — and how this is informing therapies for sickle cell disease.

Big Questions

How can we explain variation within species and evolutionary relationships among species? In this new card activity, students engage in science practices to figure out how environmental factors drove natural selection leading to the adaptation of Galápagos finches. In this new inquiry-based activity, students investigate the phenomenon of fur colors in rock pocket mice to connect genotypes to phenotypes and molecular genetics to evolution.

Human Interest

Congratulations, Svante Pääbo, winner of the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work in sequencing the Neanderthal genome! If you’re looking to bring Nobel news into your classroom, check out our suite of human evolution resources, including our Great Transitions: The Origin of Humans short film, Human Origins and Using DNA to Trace Human Migration Click & Learns, and “New Laetoli Footprints and Hominin Body Size” Data Point activity.

What’s on Your Mind?

We want to hear from educators like you! Please take a few minutes to complete this survey. We are specifically looking for responses from educators who are working with students in the classroom at the middle school, high school, or higher education levels, and who have used at least three BioInteractive resources in the past 13 months. Eligible educators who complete the survey will be sent a $25 gift card as a “thank you.” Your responses will help inform our content development process and ensure our resources are meeting educators’ needs.

Evolving Practice

Interested in restructuring your course introduction to include more content? In this Educator Voices article, Tara Jo Holmberg, a professor at Northwestern Connecticut Community College, discusses how she’s altered the beginning of her courses to have students engage in scientific thinking and collaboration.

If you use BioInteractive resources as part of your courses, we want to hear from you! Email us at outreach@hhmi.org with questions or tips about using our resources with your classes.