ASTR 300 The Search for Life in the Universe

Is there Life in the Universe beyond that which we find on Earth? This is a question that has inspired many people in many different disciplines that leads to further questions about the origin of life at the microscopic scale to formation of planets in the far reaches of our galaxy. This is an interdisciplinary course that will explore the possibilities for life existing outside of Earth, the conditions required for that life to exist, and how we can search for and detect life. This course will focus on the biological origins of life, the science and technology used to observe and detect the global effects of biological life, and the astronomy of our solar system, exoplanets, and celestial observation techniques.