Astro Biology 2 (Astrobiology)

• 1/7/14: Receive Course Syllabus, lecture and reading on "How Many Worlds Might Harbor Life?"

Legit Astrobiology rap: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NL3lhm6oy5I

Cool video on Astrobiology from NASA: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HCs2lT1Mmk

• 1/10: Finish "How Many Worlds Might Harbor Life?", begin lecture and reading on "Pseudoscience and Skeptical Thinking", How Many Worlds Might Harbor Life? HW (DUE Tues. 1/14):

1. What is the Drake Equation, and what is its purpose?

2. Describe which values in the Drake Equation are largely unknown to us, and explain why

3. What are the characteristics of many of the newly-discovered solar systems? How do we believe their formation differed from that of our own?

4. Explain each of the 3 main reasons why we suspect life to be likely in the universe, using supporting evidence from the text

5. What places seem like good candidates for supporting life in our solar system, and why?

6. Do you think that the discovery of extraterrestrial life would be as significant as the Copernican Revolution or the theory of evolution? Why or why not? Would it make a difference if the life was microbial or intelligent, and why?

7. Which of the possibilities of Fermi's Paradox do you think is the most likely, and why? Defend your answer with evidence from the text

8. Research the coral model of galactic colonization, and explain what it is, how it works, and how long it would take. Cite your source. (3 PTS.)

Here's an interesting and comprehensive list of different examples of pseudoscience: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_topics_characterized_as_pseudoscience

• 1/14: Finish "Pseudoscience and Skeptical Thinking", Pseudoscience Article Activity, begin watching "The Universe: Secrets of the Sun"
• 1/17: Continue watching "The Universe: Secrets of the Sun"

Here's a link to NOAA's space weather prediction center (with great images and real-time solar footage): http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/

Great NOVA film about the sun: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wisdfag6WIQ

Another good film on solar weather and climate, entitled "Attack of the Sun": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMUHkz5nx8g

More good videos (shorter, too): http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/science/space-sci/solar-system/sun-101-sci/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZe5D3MSjOI&feature=relmfu
Good page on the structure of the sun, with nice links to images and movies: http://nineplanets.org/sol.html

• 1/21: Finish "The Universe: Secrets of the Sun", begin lecture and reading on "What is A Star?"

Video on fusion and nucleosynthesis: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKqvjEE0wFg

A couple great videos on the size comparisons of different star types: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bcz4vGvoxQA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLWkkx8VzdM&feature=related

• 1/24: Guest Speaker: Dr. Hugh Harris, Guest Speaker Reflection (DUE Tues. 1/28)
• 1/28: Finish "What is A Star?", H-R Diagram Activity, What is A Star? HW (DUE Fri. 1/31):

1. Describe the factors that influence the habitable zone around stars

2. Describe what conditions are needed for nuclear fusion, and how the process of fusion works

3. What's the difference between apparent and absolute magnitude?

4. Summarize the potential for habitable planets around each type of star

5. What is the problem for life around A and F stars, and how could this issue be resolved?

6. What are the 2 problems for life around M stars, and how could these issues be resolved?

7. Describe the 3 orbital possibilities around binary star systems, and how that would influence the habitable zone for each

8. Summarize the information that the H-R Diagram tells us about stars

9. What factors influence a star's main sequence lifetime, and how?

10. Conduct some research on a star and describe its location, mass, type, color, surface temperature, radius, and main characteristics. Cite your source. (2 PTS.)

Here's a large color version of the diagram from your handouts: http://bork.hampshire.edu/~sam/extraordinary/HR%20Diagram.jpg
Here's a couple of websites that have good interactive H-R Diagrams with lots of info: http://sunshine.chpc.utah.edu/Labs/StarLife/starlife_main.html
http://www.astro.uni-bonn.de/~javahrd/
And a cool video on the H-R Diagram: http://www.spacetelescope.org/videos/heic1017b/

• 1/31: H-R Diagram Activity, lecture and reading on "The Life Cycle of A Star", begin Star Life Cycle Projects

Good video on the life cycle of a low mass star, with nice music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZL7VBmeFxY&feature=related

More good life cycle videos, also with nice soundtracks: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YU6X3SPZAJo&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0aGANf5YI8&feature=related

And one more good one, from the Discovery Channel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4s7vyDLgk3M&feature=related

• 2/4: Star Life Cycle Projects continued
• 2/7: Unit Quiz One and Binder Check, Star Life Cycle Projects continued
• 2/11: Star Life Cycle Projects continued
• 2/14: Star Life Cycle Projects continued (DUE by the end of class on Tues. 2/18)
• 2/18: Receive "Final Project Guidelines" (DUE Fri. 5/16!),  finish Star Life Cycle Projects
• 2/21: Lecture and reading on "Galaxy Q and A", Galaxy Graphic Organizer, Galaxy HW (DUE Tues. 2/25):

1. Describe the structures of our galaxy
2. Why is it difficult to study the Milky Way galaxy, and how have we overcome these challenges?
3. Summarize the stages in the star-gas-star cycle
4. Why is the star-gas-star cycle important to the study of Astrobiology?
5. Describe why the interstellar medium is so important to the formation of planets and life
6. Describe 3 conditions that are necessary in order to have a habitable planet in our galaxy
7. Which type of galaxy seems the most likely place to have life in it, and why?
8. Research and summarize the connection between black holes and galaxy formation. Cite your source (2 PTS.)
9. Choose a galaxy and summarize the following: its name and distance from us, size, type, and distinguishing characteristics. Cite your source (2 PTS.)

A good video for putting the size of our galaxy into perspective: http://www.videojug.com/film/how-big-is-the-galaxy
Galaxies of the universe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCSSaDPxQls
The 3 main types of galaxies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOjZInwd5Ks
Awesome Hubble Telescope images of galaxies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRnsy8YYcq0&feature=related
Good video from the Science Channel about the Milky Way: http://www.sciencechannel.com/video-topics/space-videos/space-school-milky-way.htm

• 2/25: Scale Model Solar System Activity, begin lecture and reading on "Basics of Our Solar System"
• 2/28: Finish "Basics of Our Solar System", Basics of Our Solar System HW (DUE Tues. 3/4):

1. Explain how our solar system got its patterns of motion and became a disk

2. How did the Frost Line contribute to the formation of the 2 types of planets?

3. Describe the process of planet formation

4. How might stellar winds contribute to the differences in composition of other solar systems?

5. Describe the differences between asteroids and comets, as well as how they represent the "leftovers" of planetary formation

6. What do we think is responsible for creating the exceptions to our solar system's patterns, and why?

Good video on the solar system's formation: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1111454/formation_of_the_solar_system_great_animation/

Another good one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5l5mB-rFuGo

And a good National Geographic video on the solar system's birth, too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1AXbpYndGc

• 3/4: Begin lecture and reading on "Terrestrial and jovian Planets"

Nice interactive websites on the solar system: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/space/tour-solar-system.html

Another good interactive solar system tour: http://nineplanets.org/tour/

And one more, from National Geographic: http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/space/solar-system/

Good Discovery Channel video on the solar system: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_RAEESmsrs

Another good solar system video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmxi3HvK2Js

Good summary on each of the planets: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xO7s0n6vAo

Why Mars died and Earth lived: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oC31pqk9sak

Carl Sagan explores the Jovian planets: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxOioR0b_uk

• 3/7: "Terrestrial and Jovian Planets" continued, begin watching "The Universe: Mercury and Venus"
• 3/11: Midterm Exam and Binder Check, "The Universe: Mercury and Venus" continued
• 3/14: No School- 3rd Quarter Break
• 3/18: Finish ""The Universe: Mercury and Venus", begin watching "The Universe: Mars- The Red Planet"
• 3/21: Finish "The Universe: Mars- The Red Planet", begin watching "Earth: The Biography- Rare Planet"
• 3/25: Lecture and reading on "Terrestrial and Jovian Planets" continued
• 3/28: Finish "Terrestrial and Jovian Planets", watch "The Universe: Jupiter- The Giant Planet", begin lecture and reading on "What is Life, Anyway?", Terrestrial and Jovian Planets HW (DUE Tues. 4/1):

1. Explain how planetary magnetic fields are generated, and compare the magnetic fields of different objects in the solar system

2. List and describe the 4 geologic processes, and explain whether each is present or absent on each of the terrestrial planets

3. Describe the role that size, distance from the sun, and rotation play in determining which geologic processes will be active on a terrestrial planet

4. Describe what caused Venus and Mars to lose their liquid water and habitability

5. How does the Earth maintain a stable temperature?

6. Contrast the terrestrial and jovian planets, describing 4 differences between them

7. Compare and contrast the jovian planets. How are they similar? How are they different?

8. Why do the jovian planets have rings and so many moons?

9. Summarize the potential for Mars, Europa, Callisto, Ganymede, and Titan to have life

10. Which of these do you believe is the most likely candidate for either past or present life, and why? Be specific.

11. Describe each of the arguments in support of ALH84001 containing  evidence of extraterrestrial life, as well as each of the counter arguments

12. Summarize the 3 arguments concerning how "lucky" life on the Earth is, and explain the counterpoints to each

13. Based on the evidence and information, do you believe that the conditions for complex life are highly unusual or not? Cite specific evidence from the text to support your claim.

Video on the habitability of Europa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpGVBWiUxL0

• 4/1: Lecture and reading on "What is Life, Anyway?" continued

NOVA video on carbon as the basis of life with Neil DeGrasse Tyson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmzYs0SundU

• 4/4: "What is Life, Anyway?" continued
• 4/8: Finish "What is Life, Anyway?", What is Life? HW (DUE Fri. 4/11):

1. Describe how energy, metabolism, and reproduction are linked in a living organism

2. Describe what hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and calcium are used for in a living organism

3. Why is carbon unique among all other elements?

4. Why is all other life in the universe likely to be carbon-based as well?

5. Why might silicon be a possible alternative to carbon in terms of being able to create life? Why do most scientists believe silicon-based life is not possible?

6. What are the requirements for the elements for life, and how probable is each?

7. What factors influence the available photosynthetic and chemosynthetic sources of energy, and how?

8. Describe each of the 3 main reasons why water is so critical to supporting life compared to all other liquids

9. Describe the role and function of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids

10. How do cells create such a wide variety of molecules from metabolic reactions?

11. Create a diagram linking the sources of energy to each of the metabolic classifications of life, and explain each step (2 PTS.)

• 4/11: Lecture and reading on "From Soup to Cells: The Origin of Life"
• 4/15: Unit Quiz Two and Binder Check
• 4/18, 4/22, 4/25: No School- Spring Break
• 4/29: Finish "From Soup to Cells", From Soup to Cells HW (DUE Fri. 5/2):

1. Describe the evidence indicating when life first emerged on the Earth. Why can't we know if life evolved earlier?

2. Evaluate the 4 potential locations of where life emerged, and explain how likely each location is

3. Describe each of the steps required in order to advance from nonlife to complex life

4. What was the purpose of the Miller-Urey experiment? Why do most scientists now question its accuracy?

5. Describe each of the 3 potential sources of organic molecules on the early Earth

6. Why is RNA the most likely candidate for a self-replicating molecule? What was the dilemma involved in this theory, and how was the problem solved?

7. How could complex organic molecules self-assemble in the "organic soup" of the early Earth?

8. What are the advantages of confining organic molecules within a membrane, and why?

9. Describe where pre-cells may have come from

10. Draw a diagram explaining (both visually and in writing) the sequence of steps by which chemistry could have lead to biology (2 PTS.)

11. What is the theory of "panspermia"? How could it have occurred?

Part one of an incredible series on the Origin of Life, starring David Attenborough: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leLpFwjjn8M

Another excellent NOVA video on the origin of life with Neil DeGrasse Tyson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8cRr3NkpLA

• 5/2: Lecture and reading on "The Microbial World"
• 5/6: "The Microbial World" continued

Great video on bacteria and how their evolution made our own existence possible: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCn92mbWxd4

Interesting video on how a virus works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE0qdqoBFa8

A couple good videos on Archaea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IGKv8kiMqY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3GF3PFNx8Y

and one from the history channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-phrzkZ4hZs

• 5/9: Finish "The Microbial World", The Microbial World HW (DUE Tues. 5/13):

1. Explain the reasons both for and against in the debate over whether or not viruses can be classified as life forms

2. Describe the differences between a bacterium and a cyanophyte

3. How are Archaea similar to other organisms? How are they different?

4. How might photosynthetic life look around type F/A, and M stars, and why?

5. Why would photosynthetic life on land not be possible around young red dwarf stars? How could life adapt? How could life evolve to survive the high UV radiation around stars more energetic than our sun?

6. Draw and briefly summarize the stages in the early evolution of microbial life, from the first organisms to the production of oxygen (2 PTS.)

7. Why did it take so long for oxygen to become abundant in the atmosphere? What was the crisis that this created?

8. Describe the important steps in the evolution of eukaryotes

9. Summarize each of the 4 possible factors that may have contributed to the Cambrian Explosion, and explain why

10. What factors influenced the late colonization of life on land?

11. What were the effects of the K-T impact for life on Earth? What about for the surviving species?

12. Describe the internal and external factors that can affect the mutation rate

13. What is cultural and technological evolution, and how is it different from biological evolution? What does it mean for advanced civilizations?

• 5/13: Begin watching "Genesis: Where Are We Coming From?"
• 5/16: Final Projects DUE, finish "Genesis", begin watching "Alien Planet"

Play the Alien Planet game: http://www.ndimedia.com/demo/alien/game/AlienPlanet_m2.html

• 5/20: Finish "Alien Planet", receive Class Evaluation (DUE Tues. 5/27)
• 5/23: Final Exam and Binder Check
• 5/27: All-school event
• 5/30: NO SCHOOL- SUMMER BREAK