9-13 January: Welcome, introduction to astrobiology and science
16-20 January: Definition and origin of Life
Readings: ASP 213 661-6, Bennett 52-5, 124;
CR 516-9; Hogan 1-15; Schopf 1-8; PPIV 1365-8
23-27 January: Chemistry and life
Readings: B 31-47, 51, 58-61, 63-7, 70-5, 242-51;
Seeds 266-71
Assignment 1 out (27 January)
30 January-3 February: Biology and life
Readings: Bennett 116-24; B 270-7, 382-6, 395,8; CR 62-3, 71-5, 80-4, 87-9, 94-6, 176-81, 529-20, 522-3 526-37, 545-54
Assignment 1 due (3 February)
6-10 February: Physics and life
Readings: Cr 89-90; C 62-77, 86-94; Seeds 37-57
Observatory (7,8 February)
Assignment 2 out (10 February)
13-17 February: Astronomy and life
Readings: C 77-9, 144-59, 384-96; Schopf 17-20;
Seeds 2-8, 19-33, 238-42, 250-3, 259-65
Assignment 2 due (17 February)
Final Term paper assigned (17 February)
20-24 February: Astronomy/Geology and life
Readings: Bennett 80-109, Jacob 87-90, 106, 115-7
27 February: Geology and life (contd.)
1 March: Review
3 March: Midterm
13-17 March: Astrobiology
Readings: ASP 213-379-84; Bennett 114-6, 124-30, 228-42; CR 510-6;
Schopf 29-49; PPIV 1369-81
Assignment 3 out (17 March)
20-24 March: Case studies: Mars, Europa, Titan
Readings: ASP 213 303-11; GO 335-58; NSS 141-56, 253-62, 277,84
Term paper proposal due (24 March)
27-31 March: Life elsewhere in the Universe
Assignment 3 in (31 March)
3-7 April: Evolution and mass extinctions
Readings: ASP 74 73-9; Bennett 55-60, 130-8
Observing assignment due (14 April)
10-14 April: The Drake equation and SETI
Readings: GO 533-45
17-21 April: In class presentations
Term paper due (21 April)
28 April: Final exam