Those of us who have taught biology for many years have probably had many opportunities to discuss possible college majors with our students, especially biology. There are many good reasons why biology is a very popular major on most campuses. I think it is worth revisiting why this is so.

The field of biological sciences is absolutely fascinating. Biology easily connects to our everyday lives through the environment, our bodily functions, and our food supply. To me, that makes it one of the easiest subjects to teach, especially if you engage your students in true and active inquiry. There is a lot about biology that we do know: facts, concepts, theories, principles, and unifying themes such as evolution. All of that is interesting enough, but what generates even more interest among students is what we do not yet know. This begs exploration. In some of the hot new subfields such...

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