This paper proposes a teaching strategy to provide high school students with an engaging biology exercise (seaweed taxonomy) in the field using simple and inexpensive tools to revive field-based education, shift teaching methods to active learning, and overcome the limitations of a typical Philippine public high school laboratory. In the course of our reconnaissance, we were able to identify a coastal area with high seaweed diversity just fifteen minutes away from our school. In our proposed exercises, high school students will be able to identify actual seaweeds in the field using freely downloadable pictorial guides. They will also be able to perform other basic, taxonomic tasks such as taking field photographs and notes, creating a character matrix, and constructing a dichotomous key. Finally, we gave suggestions on how to link field biology teaching with other disciplines such as chemistry and physics for a more integrated science learning.

The present paper reports on the terms related to native, alien, endangered, and invasive species that appear in Unit 5, "Ecology and the Environment" of five currently used Advanced Biology textbooks as well as organisms, particularly endangered species and invasive alien species, that appear in the unit. There was a considerable variation in the treatment of these terms among the five textbooks surveyed. However, definitions and explanations of these terms were absent or generally insufficient. Regarding organisms’ names, a total of 39 extinct or endangered species were found in the unit in the five textbooks, of which 17 were native to Japan. The number of extinct or endangered species listed in each textbook varied considerably, ranging from one to 18. Furthermore, some species were covered in topics unrelated to species extinction or biodiversity conservation or were not explicitly stated as endangered. The organisms listed in these textbooks were mostly animal species, with a predominance of mammal, and most appeared in only one textbook. Invasive alien species relevant to biodiversity conservation, on the other hand, were only listed in two textbooks, with nine for Japan and three for overseas. Most of these species were also listed in Basic Biology textbooks.

In basic biology, it is well known that bacteria do not contain mitochondria, while eukaryotic cells contain mitochondria of prokaryotic origin. Despite this, some literature states that bacteria do have mitochondria. To quantitatively assess the presence of the term “bacterial mitochondria” in Crossref DOI-indexed journals, Google Scholar and PubPeer were sourced on 25 February 2026 and screened, limiting the dataset primarily to literature published in 2021–2026. A total of 64 texts were manually verified as carrying a single mention of “bacterial mitochondria” in their PDF texts. While 43 texts indicated a source, 21 did not. Only four of the 43 sources also used the term “bacterial mitochondria”. Unless robust and irrefutable proof is provided by the microbiological community that bacteria harbor mitochondria—thereby revolutionizing existing basic biological knowledge—the scientific, peer-reviewed literature that was assessed in this analysis can be assumed to contain statements of factual error, negatively impacting their use in biology education as accurate or reliable sources of knowledge.

Optical microscopes use visible light on the wavelength scale of submicron, comparable to the size of cell structures. Students of basic biology will be convinced that light at this wavelength scale must limit the performance of light microscopes. While this explanation may seem intuitive, it is only one of two major factors that determine microscope’s resolution. The other limiting factor in microscopes may be difficult to fully understand without a background in basic physics and mathematics. Here, I present a two-step process for teachers to help students understand Abbe theory, the most important theory in microscope optics. First, I explain what the Fourier transform of an image is: how a two-dimensional image is decomposed into various stripes with different spacing and angles. I provide a simple yet precise explanation of the mathematics of Fourier transform. Next, I explain wave diffraction and interference, which provides a fundamental understanding of how light waves propagate and interact with observing materials depending on the spacings in striped patterns. I use several drawings to illustrate the concepts. Even students with no prior knowledge of resolution limits will be able to follow the explanations and appreciate the true breakthrough in super-resolution microscopy.

To clarify the characteristics of virus education in compulsory education in Japan, this study analyzed virus-related sections of The Commentary on the Course of Study for junior high schools and all junior high school teaching materials approved by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. It examined how viruses are treated from three perspectives: learning objectives, methods, and content. The results revealed the following: (i) In Japanese junior high schools, students learn about viruses in classes for Japanese language, Social Studies, Science, Health and Physical Education, and Moral Education. (ii) Only Health and Physical Education sets learning objectives related to viruses, including the concepts and factors of viral diseases, transmission routes, and preventive measures. (iii) Learning methods mainly involve activities in which students organize, analyze, and reflect on information. (iv) Although the learning content extensively addresses relationships between viruses and human society and the natural world, students have very limited opportunities to learn about the fundamental characteristics of viruses themselves. These findings suggest the need to establish a systematic academic framework for developing students’ understanding of viruses within the junior high school curriculum and to present both harmful and beneficial aspects of viruses. This study provides the first comprehensive survey of virus education in Japanese junior high schools.