This blog is a chronicle of my journey in pursuit of my goal of earning a PhD in Biology (or a masters degree in Applied Mathematics.) I have a Bachelors degree in mathematics and, before applying to the program, I plan to review basic biology, linear algebra, all three levels of calculus, and maybe learn how to value financial derivatives. I am also learning to use the freely downloadable program, Blender, to do computer animation. In addition to self-study, I work full-time as a university administrator. I have my hands full but figure that I will learn these subjects better if I write about them. Also, I am taking a class in Mandarin Chinese toward my goal of becoming fluent in Chinese but I don't know that I will include these efforts here in this blog. The best way to learn something is by teaching so the idea is that I will teach what I have learned via the blog. As you are my audience/students, feel free to ask me questions as needed.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Biology - Lesson 3

Linnaeus didn't stop at giving organisms just these two classifications either. He came up with a hierarchy of taxonomic groups:


At the top of this is the least specific of grouping, Kingdom, and at the bottom is the most specific grouping, Species.

Humans, for example, are within the Kingdom Animalia, the Phylum Chordata (animals having a notochord, or dorsal stiffening rod, as the chief internal skeletal support at some stage of their development), the Class Mammalia, the Order Primates, the Family Hominidae, the Genus Homo, and the Species Sapiens.
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2 comments:

Mr. Rush said...

Wow I like this blog. The things I should have learned in school had be paying attention!

October 8, 2008 at 9:31 PM
Alien Citizen said...

Thanks, Mr. Rush. I'm finding it easier to learn the second time around so I'd say there is a definite benefit to that first time.

October 28, 2008 at 8:41 AM

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