| 1 |
Overview of Course; Time Scales; The Big Bang; Origin and Compositions of the Solar System, Earth and Moon; Creation and Distribution of the Chemical Elements |
| 2 |
Earth Segregation; Formation and Composition of Early Atmosphere; Characteristics of the 'Habitable Zone' |
| 3 |
Geologic Evidence for Antiquity of Life |
| 4 |
Theories about the Origin of Life |
| 5 |
Anaerobic Metabolism, Energy Yields, Deep Biosphere |
| 6 |
Oxygenic Photosynthesis; The Rise of Atmospheric O2 |
| 7 |
Life's Three Domains; Evolution of Algae; Fossil and Biogeochemical Evidence for Their Presence and Evolution through Geological Time |
| 8 |
Biogeochemical Carbon Cycle |
| 9 |
Proterozoic Ocean Chemistry
(Guest Lecturer: Dr. Yanan Shen, Harvard University) |
| 10 |
The Cambrian Explosion and the Evolution and Radiation of Metazoans
(Guest Lecturer: Professor Andrew Knoll, Harvard University) |
| 11 |
Long-Term Climate Cycles #1: Faint Young Sun Paradox; CO2-Climate Connection; Proterozoic Glaciations |
| 12 |
Long-Term Climate Cycles #2: Permian Glaciations, The Rise of Vascular Plants; Mesozoic Warmth, Cenozoic Cooling; Evolution of Vascular Plants and Ruminants |
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Mid-term Exam |
| 13 |
Mass Extinctions #1 PC-C Boundary, P-T Boundary |
| 14 |
Mass Extinctions and Re-radiation #2; K-T Boundary, LPTM. Volcanism, Carbon Cycle Perturbation or Impact? |
| 15 |
Biogeochemical Tracers #1: Fractionated Isotopes |
| 16 |
Biogeochemical Tracers #2: Lipid Biomarkers |
| 17 |
Biogeochemical Tracers #3: Sedimentary Records of Life and Environment |
| 18 |
The Fate of Buried Organic Carbon; Petroleum and Natural Gas Occurrence and Distribution |
| 19 |
Biogeomorphology: Plants and The Landscape
(Guest Lecturer: David Mohrig) |
| 20 |
Long-term Climate Cycles |
| 21 |
Methane Hydrates; Formation, Distribution, Potential Role in C-Cylce and Subsurface Ecosystems Dependent upon Them |
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Student Presentations |
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Student Presentations |
| 22 |
Pleistocene Glaciations, Holocene Climate; Abrupt Climate Change; Anthropogenic Forcing of Climate |
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Exam Review |