Chapter one introduces the main themes of the book - the fundamentals concepts of biology and the scientific method. Part one covers cell and molecular biology. Part two develops the concept of genetic information and its expression from the molecular level up. Part three is devoted to evolution, its mechanisms and results. Part four details the revolution in the way we classify organisms, embracing cladistic methods, and discussing the uses and pitfalls of molecular phylogeny. Part five covers major changes in animal biology. Part six's introduction empahsizes the concept of "plantness". Part seven looks at the importance of ecology in relation to the growing human population and Earth's capacity to support the increasing populations.