E&PS 210 Life in the Universe
Fall Semester 2000
E&PS 210 Life in the Universe
Fall Semester 2000
Location: Northrop Hall, Room 340 M, W, 1-1.50 pm
Instructor: Dr Adrian Brearley,
Office: Northrop Hall, Rm 206; Tel:
277 4163; e-mail: brearley@unm.edu
Recommended Textbook: The Search for Life on
Other Planets - Bruce Jakosky, Cambridge University Press, 1998;
ISBN 0 521 59165 1.
Office Hours: Tuesday 10-12 pm, Wednesday 4-5 pm.
Syllabus
E&PS 210 Life in the Universe is an introductory level class that will take a scientific look at the plausibility of life occurring elsewhere in the Universe, a question that has fascinated and intrigued humankind for centuries. The approach will draw on observations from many different sciences including earth and planetary sciences, astronomy, biology and chemistry at a basic, non-mathematical level. The goals of the class are to gain a broad understanding of how and why life may evolve in different geological environments, drawing on observations of life on Earth and whether such environments may be present on other planets in our own and other solar systems. The class will cover the history of studies of extraterrestrial life, the nature of life iself, the origin of organic compounds that are the basic building blocks of life, the formation of early life on Earth and the range of extreme environments in which simple organisms can exists on earth (hot, cold, acidic, alkaline, etc.). We will examine the geological environments present on different planetary bodies in our solar system and whether they may be plausible environments to support simple life forms. We will focus, in particular, on the question of life existing on Mars from studies of meteorites and past and future missions that may answer this question. Finally, we will examine the question of whether planetary systems that may support life exist surrounding other stars in the Universe and what the probability of life occurring really is.
The structure of the class will be as follows:
Introductory Section: The basic chemistry and biochemistry of life, cells and their functions.
Extraterrestrial Organic Materials - The origin of carbon in stars (nucleosynthesis) and the organic chemistry of interstellar space.Source of carbon in our solar system - meteorites, comets and asteroids.
The Origin of Life on Earth as a Case Study - The formation of the Earth, the Earth's early history and current structure (plate tectonics), formation of the atmosphere and hydrosphere, prebiotic chemistry, the emergence of primitive organisms on Earth, etc.
Environments for Life in Our Solar System - A tour of planetary bodies in our solar system and their environments.Plausible enviroments where life may have evolved.
Life on Mars? - The focus of much of early and current interest in extraterrestrial life. The history of searches for life on Mars, exploration, evidence for water on Mars, martian meteorites and the recent debate of the evidence for fossils life in martian meteorite ALH 84001.
Life elsewhere in the Solar System - The environments on Europa, Titan and other possible life supporting environments.
Life Elsewhere in Our Galaxy and Beyond - The search for extrasolar planets, the statistical plausibility of life occurring elsewhere and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.
Note: This class will not address the question of UFOs in a formal way. However, as part of the final grade for the class, students will be expected to write a term paper (8-10 type written pages) discussing the evidence for and against UFOs. This paper will constitute 25% of the final grade for the class. (See below for other details of the requirements and expectations for this class).
Exams: The Final grade will be based on three exams (25% each) (you must take all three exams) and one term paper (25%). The exams will be approximately 50% multiple choice questions with remainder being questions in which responses in ‘short essay form’ will be expected.There will be no makeup exams, unless they are made by arrangement with me, before the date of the scheduled exam, or due to illness, in which case I will expect a doctor's note by way of explanation.
Office hours: Office hours are a time to discuss the class, not complain about exam results. If you are unhappy about any of your exam grades for some reason, please write down why, succinctly, and submit you written complaint to me for consideration. I will deal with them in timely fashion. If your concern is over a single question that you feel has been unfairly graded my policy is that the whole exam paper will be regraded. There is therefore the possibility that you overall grade might go down, rather than up.
