Life on Mars, Earth and Beyond – Online Astrobiology Course – FutureLearn
Discover the fascinating field of astrobiology study life on earth space exploration and how they intersect Join astrobiologist Dr Louisa Preston as you explore what it means to be alive in the universe In this introduction to astrobiology and space science youll deepen your understanding of where we came from where we are and where were going in the future Meet your Expert Educator Dr Louisa Preston This ExpertTrack is led by Dr Louisa Preston an astrobiologist planetary geologist author and UK Space Agency Aurora Research Fellow Louisa has studied microbes in some of the most extreme environments on Earth from the geysers and volcanoes of Iceland to the red acidic rivers of Rio Tinto in Spain With her knowledge and expertise in the geological history of Solar System bodies and how life might have evolved on other planets and moons Louisa is uniquely positioned to guide you through this fascinating ExpertTrack Discover the origins of the Earth and life itself From the beginning of our planet to where we are now youll explore the formation of the Earth how the many interconnected systems of the Earth work and the history of the life that survives and thrives here Travel into space and determine whether there was ever life on Mars Discover our neighbouring planet Mars the rocky desert-covered red planet Whats it made of Is there water there Can we live there Youll explore the answers to these questions and more Youll also learn about the fascinating research thats currently happening including the many future missions in the search for life on Mars Search for extraterrestrial life outside of our solar system Outside our solar system lies a vast number of star systems and planets with the potential to cultivate life On this course youll discover what these exoplanets look like how we might find them and the ongoing search for alien life Then youll crack the surface of our solar systems icy moons and explore Europa Enceladus and Titan three moons of our closest gas giants Dive into the theories of what lies beneath their surfaces and uncover the secrets of what makes Titan so special Explore what the future of life looks like on Earth and beyond Reflecting on what youve learned throughout the previous courses youll think about what this all means for human life in the future Human civilisation faces a variety of threats to its survival from climate change to overpopulation But is there a way that we could move to another planet And is the colonisation of other worlds essential to the continued survival of humans Creative problem solving Secondary research Critical thinking Analysing texts and ideas Creating evidence based arguments Creative thinking Developing inquisitiveness Discover the fascinating field of astrobiology study life on earth space exploration and how they intersect Investigate how the earth works and is situated within the universe Compare the Earth with other habitats Explore the interconnectedness between our world and the rest of the universe Reflect on what it means to live in a habitable world Reflect on what it means to live in a habitable world Discuss how to protect the world we live in Analyse and identify key information Develop secondary research skills Experiment with creative aspects of science
