Amino acids all share the same basic chemical structure, including an amino group and a carboxylic acid group. Proteins are polymers of amino acids. They have various levels of structure. They comprise key functional and structural parts of living things.

What is "protein adultery", and why is it significant? Go the Sandia National Laboratories site at http://www.sandia.gov/media/fold.htm to find out!

A DNA molecule consists of a repeating "backbone" of alternating sugar and phosphate groups, with the bases attached to this backbone. It exists as two strands in a spiral formation known as a "double helix".

The National Institute of Justice has an on-line pamphlet called, "What Every Law Enforcement Office Should Know About DNA Evidence". Check out http://www.ncjrs.org/nij/DNAbro/intro.html. Please write a three page essay outlining the most significant aspects of what officers should know. Remember to cite anything you quote, and otherwise write the report in your own words - plagiarism is a crime, even though no DNA evidence is usually required!

The DNA of human cells is found within 46 distinct structures known as chromosomes. A gene is a long section of a DNA strand that contains a particular sequence of bases able to direct the manufacture of a particular protein.

The National Center for Biotechnology Information has a view of the typical human genome - the genes that make up the chromosomes of humans. Please go to the site at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/Entrez/map_search. There is an extraordinary amount of information here. Please click on some chromosomes and print out, and explain in general terms, what the information tells us.

Carbohydrates are compounds of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in which the ratio of H to O is 2-to-1. Carbohydrate is needed principally as a source of body energy.

Many would argue that white sugar is less healthy than other, less processed sugars. Do you agree? In your discussion, please use Internet and other sources to define the various types of sugar and how they are made. Cite health data to support your decision.

Fats and oils are triglycerides composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, but each fat molecule has only six oxygen atoms. They are examples of lipids.

The British Nutrition Foundation has a discussion on fat in the "typical" British diet at http://www.nutrition.org.uk/Facts/energynut/fat.html. What are the sources of fat? Does the typical Brit eat about the right amount? Keep a journal of everything you eat for one day. Use any Web resource to determine the Calories (convert to kilojoules) in your diet. Often, fast food companies post this information, such as at Taco Bell, http://www.tacobell.com/ (click on "Menu"). Given the calculations in the article (note the use of kilojoules instead of Calories), how many of your kilojoules should have been from fat? Insofar as you can determine, how many were?

Complex multicellular organisms such as humans contain many billions of individual cells. Genetic engineering is the artificial manipulation of DNA and genes.

Recombinant DNA technology is now used to manufacture human insulin. Write an essay describing the technique. A good starting point is with the Eli Lilly Corporation, which pioneered the technology, http://www.lilly.com/.