COURSE I: Matter and Energy

Course I covers some of the foundational concepts and models offering glimpses into life’s intricate order. First, the atomic realm – the charge, structure and behaviour of atoms; organic chemistry and carbon life. Then, the cell’s evolution into ever more complex forms, and the cell’s membrane – an often neglected critical boundary of biological life. We then examine the wondrous means by which life generates energy; life-giving water and its surprising properties; and finally, the transformative actions of enzymes.