BIOL 407 - Origin(s) of Life

Next Offered: Fall 2020

Semester Offered: First Semester
Full Course
Credits: 4 credits
Attribute: 4NS

The emergence of life from non-living chemistry remains one of the great unsolved problems in science. In this course, we will survey current research on prebiotic chemistry, early Earth environments, synthetic biology, and evolutionary reconstruction of ancient organisms. We will develop a detailed understanding of what is and is not known about life’s origin as well as an appreciation for what life essentially is and whether it should be common throughout the universe.

Enrollment Limit: 16
Instructor: A. Goldman

Prerequisites & Notes: Prerequisite: BIOL 213 or Chem 254 or Geol 204