FIELD STUDIES OF PLANETARY MICROBIOLOGY AND LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE
Explores the origins, early evolution, and most common traces left by our planet's form of microbial life. Discovery and interpretation of microbial biosignatures in the context of a simulated surface lander mission through travel to field sites. Introduction to microbial biosignatures as inferred through satellite and drone imagery interpretation, portable XRF elemental analysis, UV-VIS-IR spectrophotometry, body and trace fossil analysis and interpretation, and metagenome sequencing. Explore evidence and methods of detection of life on other planets.
Prerequisites & course information
Requisites: MICROBIO 520 or graduate/professional standing Course Designation: Core GenEd - Natural Science & Wellness Breadth - Biological Science Level - Advanced L&S Credit - L&S Liberal Arts and Science Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement Repeatable for Credit: No Learning Outcomes: 1. Define basic categories and modes of biosignature production and preservation. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Describe the environmental and ecological attributes that enable biosignature preservation. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 3. Articulate how different microenvironments can be present in an extreme environment (i.e., a salt flat), and how different instruments are required to explore these microenvironments at different scales of observation. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Explain the basic chemical drivers of life that exist in different microenvironments. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Hypothesize planetary and stellar conditions likely to lead to the long-term persistence of life on a planet. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 6. Operate each of the main instruments that compose the payload package of the simulated spacecraft, organized in order of scale: Drone/imaging data (km-m); Outcrop scale detection/field microscope and hand lens (m-dm); Molecular characterization/spectrophotometer (mm-nm); Atomic characterization/XRD (nm-fm). Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 7. Formulate an original hypothesis to guide future research based on a synthesis of findings from the field experience with current understandings of the origins, evolution and molecular underpinnings of life and corresponding planetary scale changes. Audience: Graduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Define basic categories and modes of biosignature production and preservation. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Describe the environmental and ecological attributes that enable biosignature preservation. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 3. Articulate how different microenvironments can be present in an extreme environment (i.e., a salt flat), and how different instruments are required to explore these microenvironments at different scales of observation. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Explain the basic chemical drivers of life that exist in different microenvironments. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Hypothesize planetary and stellar conditions likely to lead to the long-term persistence of life on a planet. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 6. Operate each of the main instruments that compose the payload package of the simulated spacecraft, organized in order of scale: Drone/imaging data (km-m); Outcrop scale detection/field microscope and hand lens (m-dm); Molecular characterization/spectrophotometer (mm-nm); Atomic characterization/XRD (nm-fm). Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 7. Formulate an original hypothesis to guide future research based on a synthesis of findings from the field experience with current understandings of the origins, evolution and molecular underpinnings of life and corresponding planetary scale changes. Audience: Graduate
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027