Astronomy 2141 - Life in the Universe | Department of Astronomy

Is there life on other planets and moons in our Solar System?
Are there planets around other stars?
Are any of them like the Earth?
Is there intelligent life elsewhere in the universe?

Astronomy 2141, Life in the Universe, is an introduction to Astrobiology for non-science majors. It is a New General Education (GEN) Physical Science course in the Natural Science category. The goals of courses in this category are for students to understand the principles, theories, and methods of modern science, the relationship between science and technology, the implications of scientific discoveries, and the potential of science and technology to address problems of the contemporary world.

Are we alone in the universe? This is one of the oldest questions of humanity. As little as 30 years ago we know of only one planetary system, our own. Today we know of nearly 5000 planetary systems around other stars, many completely different than your own. The explosion of knowledge about planets around other stars has moved the question “Are we alone?” from the realm of speculation and science fiction into the forefront of astronomical research in the 21^st century, emerging as a question that can be answered scientifically. The hunt for other Earths has emerged as one of the primary research questions driving the planning for new observatories and space missions in the 21^st century. Life in the Universe is an introduction to Astrobiology for non-science majors. The topics covered in this course lie at the intersections between Astronomy, Chemistry, Biology, and the Earth and Planetary sciences. We will learn about scientists' ongoing quest for answers to some of the most fundamental human questions: How did life originate on Earth? Is there life on other worlds? Are we alone in the universe? What is the long-term future of life in the universe?

The course covers three primary topics:

The emergence and nature of life on the Earth
The potential for life on other planets in our Solar System
The search for habitable worlds and life around other stars in our Galaxy.

The course will begin with a brief introduction to modern science and astronomy and ends with a brief discussion of the long-term future of life on Earth and in the Universe in general.

Course Topics

The course will cover the following topics.

Introduction: Imagining Other Worlds

Week 1. Introduction and overview, how we have imagined extraterrestrial life in human cultures, the scale of the cosmos. Homework 1 assigned (due start of week 2).
Week 2. The depths of geological and cosmic time, the nature of matter, light, and energy. Miniquiz 1 (in class). Reading: OpenStax Astronomy.

Life on Earth

Week 3. The structure of Earth’s interior and atmosphere, the geological history of the Earth. Field trip, Orton Geological Museum. Homework 2 assigned (due start of week 4). Reading: Basin and Range.
Week 4. Atmospheric climate regulation and climate change, the definition of life, evolution by natural selection, the structure of cells and nature of cellular metabolism. Field Trip, Byrd Polar Research Center. Miniquiz 2 (in class).
Week 5. The chemistry of life; DNA, RNA, and heredity, and extremophile organisms. Reading: Microcosmos.
Week 6. Abiogenesis (the origin of life from non-life), and the history of life on Earth from its earliest forms to the present day, mass extinction events and planetary impacts. Quiz 1. Field trip, Museum of Biological Diversity.

Life in the Solar System

Week 7. Overview of our Solar System, comparison of the terrestrial planets, the giant planets and their moons. Miniquiz 3 (in class). Homework 3 assigned (due start of week 8). Reading: Openstax Astronomy. Planetarium Visit.
Week 8. The requirements for life in a planetary context, the planet Mars, and the searches for past and present-day life on Mars. Miniquiz 4 (in class). Homework 4 assigned (due start of week 9).
Week 9. The potential for life Jupiter’s moon Europa and Saturn’s moons Enceladus and Titan. The habitable zone of the Sun. Quiz 2.

Life in the Universe

Week 10. The properties of the stars, the demographics of stars in the solar neighborhood, and the life cycle of stars. Homework 5 assigned (due start of week 11). Planetarium Visit.
Week 11. Habitable Zones around stars, the discovery and characterization of exoplanetary systems. Miniquiz 5 (in class). Reading: The Planet Factory.
Week 12. Searches for other Earths with biosignatures, the definition of intelligent life, and the Drake Equation. Homework 6 assigned (due start of week 13). Reading: Rare Earth.
Week 13. The search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI), interstellar travel and colonization, and the Fermi Paradox. Miniquiz 6 (in class). Reading: Packing for Mars.
Week 14. Convergent evolution and the possible nature of extraterrestrial life, the possible scientific and societal impacts of detecting life elsewhere, and contact protocols if we find intelligent life. Quiz 3.

Learning Objectives (GEN)

General Education Learning Goals & Outcomes

Goals: Successful students will:

Successful students will analyze an important topic or idea at a more advanced and in-depth level than in the Foundations component. [Note: In this context, "advanced" refers to courses that are e.g., synthetic, reply on research or cutting-edge findings, or deeply engage with the subject matter, among other possibilities.]
Successful students will integrate approaches to the theme by making connections to out-of-classroom experiences with academic knowledge or across disciplines and/or to work they have done in previous classes and that they anticipate doing in future.
Successful students will appreciate the time depth of the origins and evolution of natural systems, life, humanity, or human culture, and the factors that have shaped them over time.
Successful students will understand the origins and evolution of natural systems, life, humanity, or human culture, and the factors that have shaped them over time.

Expected Learning Outcomes, Origins & Evolution Theme

Successful students will be able to:

1.1. Engage in critical and logical thinking about the topic or idea of the theme.
1.2. Engage in an advanced, in-depth, scholarly exploration of the topic or idea of the theme.
2.1. Identify, describe, and synthesize approaches or experiences as they apply to the theme.
2.2. Demonstrate a developing sense of self as a learner through reflection, self-assessment, and creative work, building on prior experiences to respond to new and challenging contexts.
3.1. Illustrate their knowledge of the time depth of the universe, physical systems, life on Earth, humanity, or human culture by providing examples or models.
3.2. Explain scientific methods used to reconstruct the history of the universe, physical systems, life on Earth, humanity, or human culture and specify their domains of validity.
3.3. Engage with current controversies and problems related to origins and evolution questions.
4.1. Describe their knowledge of how the universe, physical systems, life on Earth, humanity, or human culture have evolved over time.
4.2. Summarize current theories of the origins and evolution of the universe, physical systems, life on Earth, humanity, or human culture.

Learning Objectives – GE Legacy (GEL) Course

General Education Learning Goals & Outcomes

Students taking the course for the Legacy GE (GEL) will have the following goals and expected learning outcomes.

Goals: Successful students will:

Successful students will engage in theoretical and empirical study within the natural sciences while gaining an appreciation of the modern principles, theories, methods, and modes of inquiry used generally across the natural sciences.
Successful students will discern the relationship between the theoretical and applied sciences while appreciating the implications of scientific discoveries and the potential impacts of science and technology.

Expected Learning Outcomes, Origins & Evolution Theme

Successful students will be able to:

1.1. Explain basic facts, principles, theories, and methods of modern natural sciences, and describe and analyze the process of scientific inquiry.
1.2. Identify how key events in the development of science contribute to the ongoing and changing nature of scientific knowledge and methods.
1.3. Employ the processes of science through exploration, discovery, and collaboration to interact directly with the natural world when feasible, using appropriate tools, models, and analysis of data.
2.1. Analyze the interdependence and potential impacts of scientific and technological developments.
2.2. Evaluate social and ethical implications of natural scientific discoveries.
2.3. Critically evaluate and responsibly use information from the natural sciences.

Prerequisites

The prerequisites for this course are completion of the Natural Science GE Foundation and math at the level of Math 1050. The math in this course will not go beyond simple algebra, but there will be equations and geometrical or mathematical reasoning in some lectures and assignments. The math itself will not be difficult, but the concepts will be challenging, and translating concepts into equations and back is one of the major things you will learn during the course. The GE foundation pre-requisite is waived for students taking this course to satisfy the legacy GEL requirement (formerly Astronomy 1141). However, students should be aware that the material will be presented at a higher level than foundations courses, and they should consult with their advisor and/or the course instructor to ensure that they have adequate preparation for the course.