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Apr 24, 2024
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Undergraduate/Graduate Catalog 2019-2020 [ARCHIVED CATALOG] See drop-down menu above to access other catalogs.
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NSCI 526 - Earth: Inside and Out(3 credits)
Though the geologic record is incredibly ancient, it has only been studied intensely since the end of the 19th century. Since then, research in fields such as plate tectonics and climate change, and exploration of the deep sea floor and the inner Earth have vastly increased our understanding of geological processes. This course delves into the five questions listed below in order to understand how our dynamic planet evolved and what processes continue to shape it. In the process, learners will get to know the museumʼs Hall of Planet Earth, explore geologic time, and gain an understanding of how scientists study vast Earth systems. Ho w do geologists “read” the rocks ? Determining the age of rocks is key to the concept of geologic time and to understanding the Earth, because in geology the present is the key to the past. Ho w has the Earth evolved ? Understanding how the atmosphere evolved over time - and how the emergence of life affected the process - exemplifies the way scientists make historical deductions from rocks. W ha t causes climate and climate change ? Studying the geologic record shows that we are living in an interglacial interval a mere 10,000 years long, between much longer Ice Ages. W h y are there ocean basins, mountains and continents ? The course ventures next into Earthʼs dynamic interior, where the continuous motion of the mantle drives plate tectonics and helps shape conditions on the planetʼs surface. W h y is the Earth habitable ? Finally, a journey to volcanic springs on the deep-sea floor reveals that organisms can live on the chemical energy of the Earth. This discovery has led to profound reflections about the ways in which the various parts of our planet, including living systems, interact with each other. Offered online by the American Museum of Natural History. For more information about this course and associated fees, please contact the College of Graduate Studies.
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