Biology 2e is designed to cover the scope and sequence requirements of a typical two-semester biology course for science majors. The text provides comprehensive coverage of foundational research and core biology concepts through an evolutionary lens. Biology includes rich features that engage students in scientific inquiry, highlight careers in the biological sciences, and offer everyday applications. The book also includes various types of practice and homework questions that help students understand—and apply—key concepts. The 2nd edition has been revised to incorporate clearer, more current, and more dynamic explanations, while maintaining the same organization as the first edition. Art and illustrations have been substantially improved, and the textbook features additional assessments and related resources.

By the end of this section, you will be able to do the following:

Explain fetal development during the three trimesters of gestation
Describe labor and delivery
Compare the efficacy and duration of various types of contraception
Discuss causes of infertility and the therapeutic options available

This 12-minute video chronicles how thalidomide, once prescribed to pregnant women to combat morning sickness, was tied to a wave of devastating birth defects, leading the federal government to enact a process for drug approval. The video documents how President John F. Kennedy used the crisis created by thalidomide to dramatically expand regulatory control over the pharmaceutical industry; it can be used to initiate a discussion about how public policy is made. By highlighting the efforts of one young female scientist at the Food and Drug Administration, who sounded the alarm on thalidomide's dangers and became a national hero, the video also shows how professionalism within the civil service can have a profound impact on the wellbeing of everyday Americans. This story can be used by science teachers to illustrate the research and discovery process by documenting the journey of thalidomide from pharmaceutical to banned substance to its reemergence today as a treatment for various cancers. [11:19] Support materials are provided.