BIOL 107 - Games Nature Plays

FDR: SC
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Fall, Winter

Intended for students not majoring in biology. The natural world often seems massively complex to us, yet many simple organisms with little cognitive power exhibit sophisticated strategies for succeeding in the “game of life.” This course explores how individuals make decisions and populations evolve adaptations that allow them to survive and reproduce. We focus particularly on strategies for acquiring resources, interacting (or not) with others, and selecting mates. Throughout the course, we also consider the diverse approaches humans take to these challenges, which may explain behaviors ranging from arms races to monogamy. Lamphere.