USU 1360 IPS: Intelligent Life in the Universe

Summer 2008 4-Week Session

 

 

Instructor: Tonya B. Triplett

 

Office Hours: by appointment

 

Contact:           Office 797-8308

Home (801)397-5738

E-Mail tonya.triplett@usu.edu

 

Text: (Required) Life in the Universe, by Bennett, Shostak, and Jakosky.

 

Personal Response Unit:  PRS TX-01A or equivalent.  Available at the college bookstore.  Do not purchase until after the first class meeting.

 

Lab Fee: USU 1360 Students were assessed a $5 laboratory fee that is used for upkeep of observatory equipment. This should have been paid at registration.

 

Goal: The most profound questions of the human experience will be asked, and in some cases answered.  How and why did our existence become possible?  Are these conditions necessary for life in general?  Could we find life elsewhere in the universe?  Where should we look?  This course will take a critical look at how science evaluates questions and where the search for life is today.

 

If there is any student in this class who has a disability that will require some accommodation by the instructor, that student should contact the instructor and the Disability Resource Center (797-2444) as soon as possible.  Class notes can be made available in large print, Braille, or audio format.

 

Your final grade will be determined as follows:

 

                              4 Tests                                             600

                              Observation                    50

                              Quizzes                                           100

                              Media Project              150

                              Classroom Points         100

 

                              Total                                      1000

 

Tests: will be in class and closed book, closed notes.  Each will be worth 150 points.  The format will be multiple choice.  Please bring a #2 pencil.

 

Final: will be Friday, June 9.  It will be worth 150 points and will not be comprehensive.

 

Observations: You must attend the physics department observatory during the semester.  The TA there will provide a form for you to fill out and operate the telescopes.  Your visit is worth 50 points and the due date is shown on the schedule.  The observatory will only be open one night during this session, so an alternate assignment is available on WebCT for those unable to attend.  The message line for the observatory 797-2942.

 

Quizzes:  These points can be earned by taking WebCT quizzes. Quizzes will be given on line corresponding to each chapter of the text.  Carefully check the schedule as these cannot be made up.  To access WebCT, go to http://webct.usu.edu and log in.  Your login name is your A# and your initial password is your PIN.  There are many more quizzes than points allowed, so that you may drop low scores.  A maximum of 100 points will be allowed in this category no matter how many quizzes you take.

 

Media Project:  Hollywood has provided many examples of what an alien encounter would do.  During the semester you will watch 3 movies from many possible choices on reserve at the Library or on your own.  You will then complete a review of the movie on WebCT.  The questions that appear on the review are available on WebCT for you to print in advance if you wish.  The essay question is intended to be an evaluation of what you have learned during the semester regarding that topic and will be graded as such.  You may substitute another movie with the instructorÕs approval.  Get instructions first.

 

Classroom Points:  We will use a personal response system in class as instant feedback on knowledge.  Most questions will be graded such that attempting the question is worth points whether or not you get it right.  These points can only be obtained during class and cannot be made up.  You will need your PRS to answer.  No amount over 100 points will be allowed.

 

Grade Scale: Grades will be given based upon points earned.

 

A           950-1000

A-          900-949

B+         870-899

B            840-869

B-          800-839

C+         770-799

C            740-769

C-          700-739

D+         670-699

D           600-669

F            <600




 Course Schedule

 

Date

Note

CH

Material Covered

May 15

1

1

Course Information, Tour of Universe

 

2

1

Big Bang, Nuclear Fusion, Lives of Stars

May 16

3

1

Stellar Evolution, Star Types, Solar Nebula

 

4

2

Ancient Astronomy

May 17

5

2

Scientific Method and Astrobiology

May 18

6

1-2

Exam 1

May 18

7

3

What is Life? Cells and Metabolism 

May 19

 

 

No Class – Physics Day at Lagoon

May 22

8

3

Metabolism, Heredity, Life at the Extreme

 

9

4

EarthÕs History

May 23

10

4

EarthÕs Geology and Atmosphere

 

11

5

Origin of Life, Early Evolution and Oxygen

May 24

12

5

Oxygen, Diversity, Extinction, Human Evolution

May 25

13

3-5

Exam 2

May 25

14

6

Requirements for Life, Exploration, Telescopes

May 26

15

6

Exploring the solar system and a biological tour

 

16

7

Mars History and Fantasy

May 29

 

 

Holiday – Memorial Day

May 30

17

7

Searching for life, Meteorites, Ongoing Exploration

 

18

8

Life on Jovian Moons

May 31

 

 

Open day -

June 1

19

8

Jovian Moons Cont.

 

20

9

Habitability factors Present and Future

June 2

21

6-9

Exam 3  Observation Due Today

June 2

22

10

The Search for Habitable Worlds

June 5

23

10

Search cont.

 

24

11

Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

June 6

 

 

Holiday – Memorial Day

June 7

25

11

Search cont.

 

26

12

Interstellar travel

June 8

27

13

Fermi Paradox

June 8

 

 

Media Project Due Today

June 8

28

14

Contact: Implications of the Search and Discovery

June 9

29

10-14

Exam 4

 All dates are tentative and may be changed to support course goals.