KEY BENEFIT: Uniquely engages readers interested in biology in active learning, scientific thinking, and skill development. Scott Freeman's Biological Science is beloved for its Socratic narrative style, its emphasis on experimental evidence, and its dedication to active learning. Science education research indicates that true mastery of content requires a move away from memorization towards active engagement with the material in a focused, personal way. Biological Science is the first introductory biology text designed to equip readers with strategies to accurately assess their level of understanding, predict their performance, and identify the types of cognitive skills that need improvement. With the Sixth Edition, content has been streamlined with an emphasis on core concepts and core competencies from the Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education report. The text's unique BioSkills section is now placed after Chapter 1 to help readers develop key skills needed to become a scientist, new "Making Models" boxes guide learners in interpreting and creating models, and new "Put It all Together" case studies conclude each chapter and help readers see connections between chapter content and current, real-world research questions. KEY TOPICS: Biology and the Tree of Life, BioSkills, Water and Carbon: The Chemical Basis of Life, Protein Structure and Function, Nucleic Acids and the RNA World, An Introduction to Carbohydrates, Lipids, Membranes, and the First Cells, Inside the Cell, Energy and Enzymes: An Introduction to Metabolism, Cellular Respiration and Fermentation, Photosynthesis, Cell-Cell Interactions, The Cell Cycle, Meiosis, Mendel and the Gene, DNA and the Gene: Synthesis and Repair, How Genes Work, Transcription, RNA Processing, and Translation, Control of Gene Expression in Bacteria, Control of Gene Expression in Eukaryotes, The Molecular Revolution: Biotechnology and Beyond, Genes, Development, and Evolution, Evolution by Natural Selection, Evolutionary Processes, Speciation, Phylogenies and the History of Life, Bacteria and Archaea, Protists, Green Algae and Land Plants, Fungi, An Introduction to Animals, Protostome Animals, Deuterostome Animals, Viruses, Plant Form and Function, Water and Sugar Transport in Plants, Plant Nutrition, Plant Sensory Systems, Signals, and Responses, Plant Reproduction and Development, Animal Form and Function, Water and Electrolyte Balance in Animals, Animal Nutrition, Gas Exchange and Circulation, Animal Nervous Systems, Animal Sensory Systems, Animal Movement, Chemical Signals in Animals, Animal Reproduction and Development, The Immune System in Animals, An Introduction to Ecology, Behavioral Ecology, Population Ecology, Community Ecology, Ecosystems and Global Ecology, Biodiversity and Conservation Biology. MARKET: For readers interested in biology in active learning, scientific thinking, and skill development.