Discussion Questions: Model Organisms
- What is meant by a "model" organism? Why do scientists use model organisms?
- What are some of the features that make certain organisms useful as model organisms?
- What kind of questions do you think a scientist might use a model organism to answer? Why investigate the question using more than one type of organism?
- Can you think of an example in which a scientist studied the workings of a nonhuman organism and applied the learning to humans? What feature(s) of the organism made the experimental outcome applicable to humans?
