Course Description
Human beings have long desired to travel amongst the stars and answer the enduring question of whether or not we are alone in the Universe. While the space environment and other planets may not possess the ideal conditions for life as we know it on Earth, life has proven itself to be resilient in a variety of extreme environments. This course begins by introducing students to the biology of life on Earth. Students then learn how different lifeforms are affected by the space environment and what steps can be taken to mitigate these effects in order for life to survive in space. We then look beyond Earth and evaluate the habitability of other moons and planets, both in our solar system and beyond. Finally, we discuss the search for alien life and potential theories of how alien life might form and develop on other worlds. No previous background in Astronomy, nor any science, is required.
Students will find it helpful to have taken NATS1570 3.0 Exploring the Solar System either before or concurrently with NATS1572, though NATS1570 is not required in order to be successful in this course.