ESL Questions Biochemistry
Biochemistry
75 discussion questions about biochemistry for ESL learners at every level. Great for science vocabulary, ethics debates, and lessons where students realise chemistry is everywhere.
Beginner
What do you think biochemistry is?
Do you know what DNA is?
Have you ever had a blood test?
Do you know what a vitamin is?
What happens to food when your body digests it?
Have you ever taken medicine? Do you know how it works?
What do you know about proteins?
Do you know why we need to drink water every day?
Have you ever heard of a calorie?
Do you know what a cell is?
Have you ever seen a scientific experiment in school?
What do you know about sugar and how it affects the body?
Do you know what a vaccine is?
Have you ever read the ingredients on a food label?
What do you know about how muscles work?
Have you ever had a biology lesson at school?
Do you know what an enzyme is?
What does the word 'chemical' mean to you?
Do you think science lessons at school were interesting or boring?
Have you ever grown bacteria or done a science experiment at home?
What part of the human body do you find most interesting?
Do you know what photosynthesis is?
Have you ever wondered why bread rises when you bake it?
Do you know why coffee keeps you awake?
What is one scientific fact about the human body that surprises you?
Intermediate
How has biochemistry changed the way doctors treat diseases?
What do you know about how mRNA vaccines work, and do you trust them?
How does sugar affect the brain differently from other foods?
What is the difference between a vitamin and a mineral, and why do we need both?
How does alcohol affect the body at a chemical level?
Do you think people understand enough about nutrition to make good food choices?
How has genetic testing changed what people know about their own health risks?
What do you think about the idea of using biochemistry to slow down ageing?
How does stress affect the body chemically?
Do you think the gut microbiome research of recent years will change how we treat illness?
How do steroids and performance-enhancing drugs actually work in the body?
What do you find most interesting or surprising about how the human body works?
How does sleep affect biochemical processes in the body?
Should people be able to access their full genetic profile easily?
How do food additives and preservatives work, and are they safe?
What is the difference between natural and artificial flavours?
How has biochemistry contributed to the development of plant-based meat alternatives?
What do you think about using biochemistry to design personalised nutrition plans?
How does caffeine actually work, and why do some people react to it differently?
Do you think people should take vitamin supplements, or get everything from food?
How has the discovery of the structure of DNA changed science and medicine?
What do you know about how antibiotics work, and why is resistance to them a problem?
How do you feel about scientists editing genes in plants to improve crops?
What is one thing you have changed in your lifestyle because of something you learned about health?
If you could find out one thing about your own biochemistry, what would you want to know?
Advanced
CRISPR allows us to edit human genes. Should we? Where exactly is the line?
If we can biochemically treat depression, anxiety, and addiction, are we solving a problem or just avoiding its causes?
Gene editing in embryos could eliminate hereditary diseases. It could also lead to designer babies. Is there a meaningful line between the two?
Pharmaceutical companies own patents on life-saving drugs and charge what the market will bear. Is that acceptable?
If a genetic test showed you had a high risk of Alzheimer's disease, would you want to know? Should your insurance company be allowed to know?
The gut microbiome research suggests that bacteria in your digestive system may influence your mood and mental health. Does that change how you think about who controls your behaviour?
Supplements are a billion-dollar industry. Most of them have weak evidence behind them. Why do people keep buying them?
Is it ethical for wealthy individuals to use biochemical interventions like blood transfusions and hormone therapy to extend their lifespan?
Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health. Whose responsibility is it to fix it?
If a drug could reliably improve memory and concentration in healthy people, should it be freely available?
How should governments regulate the use of genetic data by insurance companies and employers?
Is 'personalised medicine' based on your genetic profile a genuine breakthrough or mostly a marketing concept at this stage?
Should parents be allowed to select embryos based on genetic traits beyond serious disease prevention?
Psychedelic drugs like psilocybin are being studied for depression and PTSD. Does the evidence justify changing the law?
The food industry uses biochemistry to make processed food more addictive. Is that fundamentally different from selling tobacco?
How do you feel about lab-grown meat from a biochemical and ethical standpoint?
Should human genetic data collected by companies like 23andMe be treated as a national security issue?
Do you think we will be able to defeat cancer in your lifetime? What would it take?
If a cheap pill could reliably extend healthy human lifespan by twenty years, what would be the consequences for society?
Is the medicalization of normal human experiences, such as sadness, shyness, or difficulty sleeping, a problem?
How do you feel about using biochemistry to enhance athletic performance beyond what training alone can achieve?
Should all scientific research, including pharmaceutical research, be publicly funded and openly available?
What does the uneven global access to vaccines and medicines reveal about how we actually value human life?
Is it possible to be genuinely informed about what you eat and how it affects you without a science background?
If biochemistry could give you a pill that eliminated fear, would you take it? Should you be allowed to?