Exploring Life Beyond Earth: Super-Earths and Exoplanets
Explore the science behind detecting alien worlds and potential life beyond Earth, from planetary signatures to biosignatures across the cosmos.
Explore the science behind detecting alien worlds and potential life beyond Earth, from planetary signatures to biosignatures across the cosmos.
Embark on an exciting journey through the cosmos with Harvard's "Super-Earths and Life" course. This interdisciplinary program combines astronomy, biology, and geology to explore one of humanity's most profound questions: Are we alone in the universe? You'll delve into the latest discoveries in exoplanet research, understanding how we detect planets around distant stars and what makes a planet potentially habitable. The course covers the evolution of life on Earth, from simple molecules to complex organisms, providing a foundation for understanding how life might arise elsewhere. You'll learn about the geological processes that shape planets and their potential to support life. By the end of the course, you'll have a comprehensive understanding of the search for extraterrestrial life and the cutting-edge science behind it.
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What you'll learn
Understand the origins and evolution of life on Earth
Explore methods for discovering and characterizing exoplanets
Analyze the factors that make a planet potentially habitable
Examine the geological processes that shape planets and influence life
Learn about current techniques for searching for life in the universe
Understand the interdisciplinary nature of astrobiology
Skills you'll gain
This course includes:
PreRecorded video
Graded assignments, exams
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Limited Access access
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There are 7 modules in this course
This course offers a comprehensive exploration of the search for life beyond Earth, combining insights from astronomy, biology, and geology. Students will learn about the latest discoveries in exoplanet research, including methods for detecting and characterizing planets around other stars. The curriculum covers the evolution of life on Earth, from the formation of simple molecules to the development of complex organisms, providing a framework for understanding how life might arise in other environments. Participants will explore the concept of planetary habitability, examining the factors that make a planet favorable for life. The course also delves into the geological processes that shape planets and their potential impact on the development and sustainability of life. Throughout the program, students will learn about current and future missions designed to search for signs of life in our solar system and beyond. By the end of the course, learners will have a solid foundation in astrobiology and an understanding of the interdisciplinary approach used in the search for extraterrestrial life.
The Nature of Life
Module 1
Understanding Planets
Module 2
Exoplanet Discovery and Characterization
Module 3
Earth's Evolution and Habitability
Module 4
Planetary Geology and Life
Module 5
Habitable Planets in the Universe
Module 6
Searching for Extraterrestrial Life
Module 7
Fee Structure
Instructor
1 Course
Pioneer in Exoplanet Research and Origins of Life Studies
Dimitar Sasselov, Professor of Astronomy at Harvard University and Director of the Harvard Origins of Life Initiative, has revolutionized our understanding of exoplanets and life's cosmic origins. Born in Bulgaria in 1961 to a scientific family, he earned his first Ph.D. in physics from Sofia University in 1988 and a second in astronomy from the University of Toronto in 1990. As a co-investigator on NASA's Kepler mission, he has been instrumental in discovering hundreds of potential Earth-like planets, including the groundbreaking discovery of OGLE-TR-56b in 2002, which was the most distant planet known in the Milky Way at that time. His interdisciplinary leadership at the Harvard Origins of Life Initiative brings together biologists, chemists, and astronomers to explore fundamental questions about life's emergence in the universe. Through his research on the interaction between light and matter, planetary conditions, and complex chemistry, Sasselov bridges the gap between astrophysics and biology. His work extends beyond traditional astronomy to explore how planetary conditions influence the potential for life, contributing significantly to our understanding of super-Earths and the possibilities of life beyond our solar system.
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4.7 course rating
54 ratings
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