Syllabus Spotlight - Fall 2009
A planetary astronomer at CU鈥檚 Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, Larry Esposito discovered Saturn鈥檚 fourth ring and has continued his investigations of Saturn鈥檚 rings with the Cassini spaceship鈥檚 Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph.
Course: Extraterrestrial Life (ASTR/GEOL 3300)
Department: Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences and Geology
Prerequisite: One year of any college-level science class
Professor: Larry Esposito
Course description: An introduction to life in the universe, including scientific, technical, philosophical and social aspects. Topics include conditions necessary for life to exist on Earth and other planetary bodies. Students will discuss NASA鈥檚 program to seek life in space.
Reading list: Iain Gilmour鈥檚 An Introduction to Astrobiology (Cambridge University Press)
Esposito says: 鈥淚 like to teach this class because it鈥檚 so broad 鈥 chemistry, biology, geology, astronomy! All these areas apply when we consider the possibilities for life. For the student, it draws a number of diverse areas together in the intellectual exercise of the search for life.鈥