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Syllabus
Schedule
Be sure to do the reading assignments before the class they are assigned for. Those who
are prepared and ask questions or contribute to discussion will receive extra credit. If the scheduled
office hours are not possible for you, we will make appointments for other times. Reading Assignments
refer to chapters in the Class notes (Evans) or to the whole of the novel Contact by Carl Sagan. You
should start reading Contact by about Spring Break, marking passages that discuss communications
or travel ideas. Then review these before classes when those topics are discussed.
Date
|
Topic
|
Reading Assignments
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Drake Equation Factor
|
1/18
|
Course Overview
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1
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1/20
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Origin of Elements
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2
|
|
1/25
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Origin of Stars
|
3A-3C
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R*
|
1/27
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Origin of Planets
|
3D
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fp
|
2/1
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Nature of Solar Systems
|
3E
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|
2/3
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Habitable Planets
|
3F
|
ne
|
2/8
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Review
|
|
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2/10
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Test 1 (Ch. 1-3)
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|
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2/15
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Nature of Life
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4A
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2/17
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Origin of Life
|
4B-C
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fl
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2/22
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Origin of Life
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4D
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2/24
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Alternatives
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4E-4G
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3/1
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Life in Solar System
|
5A-B
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3/3
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Life in Solar System
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5C-D
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3/8
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Test 2 (Ch. 4-5)
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|
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3/10
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Biological Evolution
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6A
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3/15
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Spring Break
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Start Reading Contact
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3/17
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Spring Break
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3/22
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Origin of Intelligence
|
6B
|
fi
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3/24
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Cultural Evolution
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7A
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3/29
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Evolution of World View
|
7B
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fc
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3/31
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Lifetime
|
7C
|
L
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4/5
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Future of Civilization
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7D
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4/7
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Test 3 (Ch. 6-7)
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|
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4/12
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Drake Equation
|
8
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N, r
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4/14
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Communication
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9A-C
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4/19
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Communication
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9D-9E
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4/21
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Contact (Communication)
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Contact
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4/26
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Travel
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10A-B
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4/28
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Visitations?
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10C
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5/3
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Contact (Travel, Reactions)
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Contact
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Course evaluation
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5/5
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Test 4 (Ch. 8-10 & Contact)
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