EARS 272: Topics in Historical Geobiology: Life, Oxygen, and Evolution

Co-taught: Winter 2021, with Sarah Slotznick

Course overview:

During this course, we will use primary literature and reviews to examine the interactions between Earth and life over geological timescales. Topics may include the origins of life, the rise of oxygen in Earths’ oceans and atmosphere, the geochemical context for animal evolution, the role of microbial metabolism and communities in the Earth system, and the evolution of global biogeochemical cycles over deep time. Class time will be focused on student-led presentations and discussions of primary literature, with emphasis on critical thinking and future scientific presentations and proposal writing.