ERTH 759 Astrobiology
Astrobiology studies the origins, evolution and potential distribution of life on Earth and in the Universe as whole. In this course, after a broad presentation of the general layouts on the formation of our Solar System and other planetary systems, students will learn about the conditions that give rise to life and its proliferation in a planet. Since the history of our planet Earth serves as important analogue in Astrobiology, students will be further introduced to the 1) coevolution of life and environments on Earth, 2) adaptability and proliferation of life in extreme environments, and 3) main tools used to find evidences for extraterrestrial life and habitability of other planets in the Solar System and beyond.