Astro 140: Life In the Universe – World Campus

In Fall 2017, Astro 140: Life in the Universe will again be offered via Penn State’s World Campus.

Course content:

The possible existence of life beyond Earth is one of the most fundamental questions relating the human race to the physical Universe around us. While considerations of extraterrestrial life were in the domains of philosophy and science fiction in the past, today we have considerable scientific knowledge that can be applied to the question. Advances in modern astronomy have dramatically improved our understanding of our cosmic surroundings: tracing the cosmic origins of biological molecules, direct evidence for planets around most stars (exoplanets), and a deeper understanding of planet formation have all emerged in the past generation. Several fields – geology, biochemistry, paleontology (fossils), evolutionary biology – give insight (though not a complete understanding) on how life arose on Earth, and spacecraft travel provides constraints on life elsewhere in our Solar System. Thus, the course is rooted in modern science, but is connected to the long-standing philosophical question: Are we alone in the Universe?

Course activities:

Part of the course resembles a traditional classroom learning environment: We have lectures by the instructor (online rather than in person), read chapters of our textbook, and take quizzes to evaluate that we have learned the material. But the course also has more (inter)active assignments: students participate in discussion forums; take part in a huge citizen science research effort; and engage in science writing, producing two papers. The result is a multifaceted learning experience encouraging students to engage in active learning processes.

Details:

For detailed information, see the example syllabus.

Image Credit: NASA