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Lecture outline for undergraduate introductory astrobiology course
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Lecture Section
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Lecture |
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Astrobiology Primer*
Click here to view or download** |
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1
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Introduction to Astrobiology and the Scientific Method |
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2
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Introduction to the Universe, Stellar and Planet Formation |
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Stellar Formation
and Evolution |
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3
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Geological Processes on Earth and the Origin of the Moon |
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Planetary Formation
and Evolution
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4
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The Habitable Zone and Biogeochemical Processes on Earth |
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Planetary Formation
and Evolution
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5
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Origin of Life - Prebiotic chemistry and Abiogenesis |
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Astrobiogeochemistry
& Origin of Life
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6
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Origin of Life - From Metabolism to Cells and the RNA world |
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Astrobiogeochemistry
& Origin of Life
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7
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Origin of Life - LUCA and the Switch to DNA-based Genomes |
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8
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Origin of Life - Evolution of the Genome |
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Astrobiogeochemistry
& Origin of Life
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9
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Astrobiology Primary Literature Discussion #1 - Origin of Life |
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Astrobiogeochemistry
& Origin of Life
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10
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Rise of Oxygen in the Atmosphere and the Origin of Eukaryotes |
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Astrobiogeochemistry
& Origin of Life
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11
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Student Presentations on Astrobiology Topic of Choice |
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12
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Student Presentations on Astrobiology Topic of Choice |
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13
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Student Presentations on Astrobiology Topic of Choice |
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14
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Before Darwin - Idealism and the Great Chain of Being |
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Evolution of Life
Through Time
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15
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Origin of Species - The Arguments and the Evidence |
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Evolution of Life
Through Time |
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16
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Snowball Earth - Climate and the Cambrian Explosion |
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Astrobiogeochemistry
& Origin of Life |
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17
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Microbial Diversity of Life on Earth - Metabolic Diversity |
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Diversity of Life |
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18
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Pushing Life to the Limits - Adaptation to temperature stress |
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Diversity of Life |
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19
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Pushing Life to the Limits - Adaptations to pressure and pH stress |
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Diversity of Life |
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20
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Pushing Life to the Limits - Adaptations to salt and radiation stress |
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Diversity of Life |
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21
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Astrobiology Primary Literature Discussion #2 - Extremophiles |
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22
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Extraterrestrial Threats to Earth - Origin of Asteroids and Comets |
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Planetary Formation
and Evolution |
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23
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Guest Lecture - Introduction to Lithopanspermia |
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Diversity of Life |
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24
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Detection of Extrasolar Planets: methodology and characteristics |
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Planetary Detection & Characterization
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25
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Search for Life in the Solar System – Biomarkers |
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Planetary Detection & Characterization
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26
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Search for Life in the Solar System - Moons of Jupiter |
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Planetary Detection & Characterization
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27
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Search for Life in the Solar System - Moons of Saturn |
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Planetary Detection & Characterization
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28
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Guest Lecture - Microbial Ecology, Survival, and Growth of Terrestrial Bacteria on Spacecraft Surfaces during Robotic Missions to Mars |
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Planetary Detection & Characterization
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29
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Search for Life in the Solar - The habitability of Mars |
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Planetary Detection & Characterization |
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30
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Student Presentations on Astrobiology Topic of Choice |
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31
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Student Presentations on Astrobiology Topic of Choice |
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32
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Student Presentations on Astrobiology Topic of Choice |
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33
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Guest Lecture - Planetary Protection |
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Science in Space |
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34
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Controlled Environmental Life Support - Bioregeneration |
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Science in Space |
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35
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Humans Factors - Gravitational Biology |
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Science in Space |
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36
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Human Factors – Cosmic Radiation |
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Science in Space |
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37
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Astrobiology Primary Literature Discussion #4 – Human Factors |
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38
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Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence and the Drake Equation |
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Science in Space |
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39
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Future of Space Exploration: Robotic Missions |
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Science in Space |
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40
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Future of Space Exploration: Human Colonization of Space |
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Science in Space |
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*Primer Sections are derived from the Astrobiology Primer (Mix et al., 2006) |
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**Downloading Instructions:
To view the Astrobiology Primer:
Click on the download link above and it will open up in your default PDF viewer, if you wish to download it, "Right Click" on the link and from the contextual pull down menu, select your desired download location. If you have a MAC and do not have a 2 button mouse, there are 2 ways to download this file:
1) "Option-click" and it will automatically download.
2) "Control-click" will reveal the contextual pull-down menu where you can select your desired download location (same as right-clicking).
 To view the PDF youwill need the free
Adobe Acrobat player, get it here. |
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