| UNIQUE NUMBER: | 43805 |
| TIME, PLACE: | MWF 2:00 - 3:00 p.m., WELCH 3.502 |
| INSTRUCTOR: | J. Craig Wheeler - a theoretical astrophysicist specializing in exploding stars and related topics. |
| Office: RLM 17.230, phone: 471-6407 | |
| Email: wheel@astro.as.utexas.edu | |
| Hours: MWF 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. or by arrangement; do not hesitate to talk to me if you have questions or problems. My job is to help. | |
| TEACHING ASSISTANTS: | Andy Howell |
| Office: RLM 16.208, phone: 471-2785 | |
| Email: howell@astro.as.utexas.edu | |
| Office hours: T-Th 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. or by appointment | |
| Second TA - to be announced | |
| Office: RLM 17.XXX, phone: 471-XXXX | |
| Email: XXX@astro.as.utexas.edu | |
| Office hours: by appointment | |
| GRADES: | There will be five hour-long examinations each counting 20 percent of the grade. The exams are tentatively scheduled for 2/11, 3/3, 3/24, 4/14, 5/5). There will be no comprehensive final. The exams will be mostly multiple choice plus 2-3 short essay questions. |
| COURSE DESCRIPTION: | This is a specialized course for non-science majors that will presume some knowledge of the basic astronomical concepts presented in Astronomy 301. There will be a minimum of mathematics, but a familiarity with basic algebra and scientific notation ("powers of ten") will be helpful. |
| COURSE CONTENT: | There is no confirmed evidence of life "out there," but there is lots to think about given what we know about life on Earth and about the Universe around us. This course will survey the physics, chemistry, and biology of life as we know it in all its diversity on Earth and the astronomy of the Universe in which we exist to address the likelihood of life elsewhere and the prospect for discovering it. This will lead us to issues such as the definition of life, the nature of complexity and emergent properties, the nature of consciousness, and the conundrum of why the Universe does not seem to teem with life as the Earth so obviously does. |
| TEXT: | Extraterrestrial Life - Neal J. Evans II (Burgess Publishing) |
| The Search For Life on Other Planets - Bruce M. Jakosky (Cambridge U. Press) | |
| HELP SESSIONS: | Weekly help sessions will be scheduled Thursday in RLM 15.216B at 5:00 p.m. to discuss class material and exams. These sessions and office hours allow a more nearly one-on-one relationship and are a valuable addition to the lecture. |
| WEB SITE: | http://tycho.as.utexas.edu/~wheel/ast309L |
| Week | Material | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction, The Drake Equation | Jan 19, 21 |
| 2 | Guest Lecture (Bill Cochran, Finding Planets), Cosmic Evolution | Jan 24, 26, 28 |
| 3 | The Molecular Basis of Life | Jan 31, Feb 2, 4 |
| 4 | The Molecular Basis of Life (cont.) Review Session, Exam 1 |
Feb 7, 9, 11 |
| 5 | The Transition to Life | Feb 14, 16, 18 |
| 6 | The Transition to Life (cont.) | Feb 21, 23, 25 |
| 7 | Life in the Solar System Review Session, Exam 2 |
Feb 28, Mar 1, 3 |
| 8 | Darwinian Evolution, Natural Selection | Mar 6, 8, 10 |
| 9 | Spring Break | Mar 13, 15, 17 |
| 10 | Darwinian Evolution, Natural Selection
(cont.) Review Session, Exam 3 |
Mar 20, 22, 24 |
| 11 | Origin of Consciousness, Intelligence | Mar 27, 29, 30 |
| 12 | Origin of Consciousness, Intelligence (cont.) | Apr 3, 5, 7 |
| 13 | Development of Technology Review Session, Exam 4 |
Apr 10, 12, 14 |
| 14 | Lifetime of Technological Civilizations | Apr 17, 19, 21 |
| 15 | Communicating with Extraterrestrial Life | Apr 24, 26, 28 |
| 16 | Interstellar Travel, Review Session, Exam 5 | May 1, 3, 5 |