Are you curious about the many forms that life takes on this planet? We will start with an overview of taxonomy--the art and science of naming living things--and a discussion of just what it means for something to be alive. We will then proceed on a journey through the tree of life, briefly glimpsing each of the major groups: animals, fungi, plants, protists, bacteria, and viruses.

Along the way we will discuss research into the purpose and function of organisms, using a combination of lecture and discussion with outside readings. Instructor William Davis is a post-doctoral fellow in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Michigan who hopes to share his joy in learning about new organisms.

This study group for those 50 and over will be held on Wednesdays from March to May 2.