Lecture Date |
Topic |
Reading |
Introduction to astrobiology: The scientific study of Genesis |
| Aug. 29 |
Scientific facts, theory, and speculation |
|
| Sep. 3 |
Lifespan of the Universe, the Galaxy, and the Solar system |
|
| Sep. 5 |
The Drake equation, life, the components of life, and its definition |
Sec. 1.1, 6.1.1 |
Cosmic evolution, the origins of the matter and bodies of the Universe and of the molecular building blocks of life |
| Sep. 10 |
Nuclear-chemical evolution of the Universe and the genesis of the chemical elements |
Sec. 1.4 |
| Sep. 12 |
Interstellar molecular clouds |
|
| Sep. 17 |
Interstellar molecular clouds (cont.) |
|
| Sep. 19 |
The evolution of protoplanetary disks and the formation of planets |
|
| Sep. 24 |
The successful search for extrasolar planets |
Ch. 6-7 |
| Sep. 26 |
Habitability of planets |
Sec. 2.1-2.3 |
| Oct. 1 |
Exam #1 |
|
Terrestrial evolution: From simple molecules to intelligent organisms |
| Oct. 3 |
Chemical evolution and the molecular basis of life on Earth |
Sec. 1.5, 2.4.4 |
| Oct. 8 |
Chemical evolution (cont.) |
Sec. 1.6 |
| Oct. 10 |
The transition to carbon-based life |
Sec. 1.2, 1.7-1.8 |
| Oct. 17 |
Alternatives to carbon-based life |
|
| Oct. 22 |
The odds for/agaist life's occurance, and the prospects for life elsewhere in the inner Solar system |
Sec. 2.5-2.6, Ch. 3, 8 |
| Oct. 24 |
The prospects of life elsewhere in the outer Solar system |
Ch. 4-5 |
| Oct. 29 |
Biological evolution: the origin of species |
Sec. 1.3, 1.9-1.10, 2.4 |
| Oct. 31 |
Biological evolution (cont.) |
|
| Nov. 5 |
The emergence of intelligence |
|
| Nov. 7 |
Exam #2 |
|
The origin and fate of technological civilizations like our own |
| Nov. 12 |
Cultural evolution: the origin and differentiation of Earth's civilizations, the development of technology, and the convergence on a global populace |
|
| Nov. 14 |
Cultural evolution (cont.) |
|
| Nov. 19 |
Disasters, natural and otherwise, and the lifetimes of technological civilizations |
|
| Nov. 21 |
Disasters (cont.) |
|
The search for extraterrestrial intelligence |
| Nov. 26 |
How to find extraterrestrial civilizations: Communication |
Sec. 9.1-9.3 |
| Dec. 3 |
Space travel and its associated health hazards |
|
| Dec. 5 |
Have we been visited by intelligent extraterrestrials? |
Sec. 9.4-9.6 |
| Dec. 10 |
Exam #3 |
|