Welcome to

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Welcome to Life in The Cosmos PHYS 2010
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? How did this
Get to this ? ? ? ?
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Are We Alone ?
Astronomy
Biology
The human, scientific approach to the problem
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• So what does the course cover ?
• The basic astrophysics that forms the background
  to the Drake Equation, in particular, the
  evolution of stars and planetary systems.
• The evolution of life on Earth, including
  examples of life that don't appear to require
  sunlight and/or oxygen to survive. The evidence
  for, and possible astronomical causes of major
  mass extinctions will be investigated.

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• Molecules in space the observations of complex
  hydrocarbons and other sophisticated molecules.
  Where are they found, how are they created, and
  how do they survive?
• The possible origin and evolution of life in an
  extraterrestrial planetary context the birth of
  astrobiology applying biology and biochemistry
  to consider the requirements for extraterrestrial
  life. Will life only be found in the traditional
  comfort zones" of solar systems?

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• Life in the Solar System progress over the last
  century in our knowledge and expectations about
  potential life on Mars, Europa, Titan and
  elsewhere. A discussion of the panspermia theory
  for the spreading of life through the solar
  system.
• Searching for other planetary systems a
  detailed discussion of the techniques used, and
  the recent discoveries of the many planetary
  systems around nearby stars. Are we on the verge
  of discovering Earth-like planets around other
  stars ? (almost certainly yes)

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• SETI searching for signals from
  extraterrestrials. A review of the work of the
  last 20 years and the intrinsic difficulties in
  communicating with, and visiting, other stellar
  systems.
• Are we alone? A discussion of the very recent
  ideas of the palaeontologists Ward Brownlee
  that though there may be many examples of
  primitive life to be found in the Cosmos,
  advanced intelligent life (like ours) may be very
  rare.

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Assessment

• Essays you will be set one essay to write
  during this course. This essay will be worth 30
  of the final mark. The essay title will be
  provided just before the Easter break, to be
  handed in just after the break.
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• Group meetings there will be a total of 4 or 5
  group meetings throughout the course. The first
  one is not assessed in any way, but will be used
  to familiarise you with the group meeting scheme.
  Subsequently each student will be required to
  give one presentation of 12 minutes on a topic
  currently being discussed in the lectures. A
  total of 30 of the course marks will come from
  your participation in these group meetings.
• Multiple-choice tests There will be two
  multiple-choice tests, one shortly before the
  Easter break and one at the end of the course.
  Each test is worth 20 of your final marks and
  lasts for 30 min.

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Books

• There is not really an official course book the
  subject evolves too quickly.
• Good Textbook style references include
• Earth, Life and the Universe (Tritton)
• Life in the Universe (Bennett, Shoshtak
  Jakosky)
• The Search for Life in the Universe (Goldsmith
  Owen) 
• Or, for free The Astrobiology Primer An
  Outline of General Knowledge Version 1, 2006
• http//arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0610926

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If you want a non-textbook, wide-ranging and
stimulating discussion, one of the best is Rare
Earth by Peter Ward and Donald Brownlee
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Timetable

• We are scheduled as follows
• Wednesday 1100-1245
• (Building 2, room 2043 LR/F)
• Thursday 1300-1345
• (Building 54, room 10031 10C)

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Web site Useful course information plus lecture
notes will be available at www.astro.soton.ac.uk
/rpf/LITC Including .ppt files of lectures,
discussion group schedules, essay titles,
deadlines and other useful links. Dont bother
looking on blackboard! You can email me at
r.fender_at_soton.ac.uk
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• And finally, a little survey of your thoughts
  (please be honest no marks associated with it
  !!
• Do you believe that the Life we now see on the
  Earth originated here ?
• 2. Do you believe that there is Life at a low
  level (e.g. bacteria, small plants) elsewhere in
  the solar system ?

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3. Do you believe that such low-level Life is
common throughout the Universe ? 4. Do you
believe that there is intelligent Life elsewhere
in our solar system ? 5. Do you believe that
there is intelligent Life elsewhere throughout
the Universe ? 6. If yes to 5, do you believe
it has ever been here?
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7. Do you think that Human civilisation will be
around in, say, 10000 yr time ? 8. If negative
to the above, do you think theres anything you
can do about it ?
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Movie I Origins I first half Formation of Earth
and Moon Disclaimer much of what is discussed
is theory and not proven fact (like much of
science)
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• Discussion
• How old is the Earth ? How do we know that ?
  Does the identity of the oldest rocks in the
  solar system surprise you ?
• What is the asteroid belt ? (later in course
  youll have some 4.5 billion yr old rocks in your
  hands)
• Why does the Earth have a segregated structure ?
  Does the movement of the magnetic pole surprise
  you ? Why is Earths magnetic field swept back
  ?
• Does the origin of the Moon surprise you ?