natural sciences test iii possible questions

what are the 2 kinds of gene therapy?

somatic & germline

what cells does somatic gene therapy treat?

non‑reproductive cells like blood cells

what cells does germline gene therapy treat?

reproductive cells (sperm, eggs) or early embryos

are somatic gene therapy changes passed to offspring?

no

are germline gene therapy changes passed to offspring?

yes, because it affects every cell of the body

how is gene therapy delivered?

vector enters body, infects target cells, inserts therapeutic gene. (vector= viral, neutralized, & carries corrected DNA sequences)

how can somatic therapy via a viral vector treat a child with sickle‑cell anemia?

treatment cures symptoms, but sickle‑cell TRAIT stayed in germline. so future offspring still at risk.

somatic gene therapy risks

immune response, off‑target edits, but only to individual patient

germline therapy risks

side effects being passed to offspring, kills one disease & creates a worse one, fear of creating a genetically distinct class of humans, legal bans in western countries

what is one usage of AI in gene therapy?

mapping complex gene networks

what are 3 ways AI can map complex gene networks?

Predicting off‑target effects of CRISPR edits, Designing optimal viral vectors, and Simulating long‑term evolutionary outcomes of germline edits.

what is genetic selection?

Implicit choices influencing offsprings’ allele frequencies

what is genetic engineering?

Direct manipulation of DNA to introduce or remove specific traits like eye color, disease resistance, athletic ability

what are some societal implications of a hypothetical “menu” where parents pay to edit embryos for a list of desired traits

a two‑tier class system based on genetic enhancements access

what is cloning

copying the entire genome of an individual to create a genetically identical organism

how is cloning distinct from identical twins

twins aren’t perfect copies; clones are exact genomic replicas

what are some potential uses of cloning?

Reproductive cloning & cloned animal meat

ethical concerns of cloning?

identity, consent, and the welfare of cloned individuals.

what is evolution?

organism populations changing through inherited trait variation

core idea of the rejected pre-Darwinian theory of the Fixity of Species?

“Species are created immutable; no change over time.”

what was Jean-Baptiste Lamark’s theory that was disproven?

Lamarckian Inheritance

“Traits acquired during an organism’s life can be passed to offspring (e.g., giraffe neck stretching).”

why was Jean-Baptiste’s theory of Lamarckian Inheritance disproven?

“use‑and‑disuse” concept= obsolete.

what was James Hutton and Charles Lyell’s theory?

Geological Gradualism ; “Earth’s features develop slowly over immense time spans.”

why was James Hutton and Charles Lyell’s theory supported?

because it underpins deep‑time thinking.

what was Thomas Malthus’s theory that is fundamental to natural‑selection theory?

Malthusian Competition; Populations grow exponentially but resources grow linearly, leading to “survival of the fittest.”

what is the central theory of modern biology, creditedto Charles Darwin?

Darwinian Natural Selection; “Variation + differential reproductive success → adaptation over generations.”

who was charles darwin?

British naturalist, studied fauna, flora, geology, and archaeology

what is a naturalist?

a researcher observing and recording living organisms in their habitats

what allowed Darwin to devote time to fieldwork that Mendel wasnt afforded?

no worries of rent or daily survival, Mendel entered priesthood for education

what were Charles Darwin’s core activities on the HMS Beagle Voyage?

collecting specimen, mapping geology, recording variation

what were some key observations of galapagos finches during the HMS Beagle Voyage that shaped evolutionary thought?

tree dwelling= broad beaks for crushing seeds, ground dwelling= narrow beaks for probing bark&insects, island w abundant cactus= long curved beaks for extracting nectar

what were some key observations of galapagos tortoises during the HMS Beagle Voyage that shaped evolutionary thought?

low islands → dome shells, short necks (graze ground).

high-tree islands → saddle‑shells, long necks (reach taller plants)

what was Darwin’s revision of the disproven theory of Lamarkian inheritance

Evolution happens thru random mutations; environment “selects” the mutations improving survival, not thru purposeful adaptation.

true or false: Humans evolved from modern monkeys

false

true or false: Evolution has a predetermined goal

false

what does the often-cited “97% of dna with a banana” remind us

all life shares a common molecular foundation

what is scientific priority?

“who first discovered/formulated xyz” influencing credit

what was Darwin’s reaction to Wallace writing to him to propose a joint presentation?

Darwin accelerated publication of On the Origin of Species to secure Wallace’s place in history