Chemistry - Biochemistry 147
Astrobiology and the origins of life
Instructor: K. Plaxco
Office: 1103 Chemistry
kwp@chem.ucsb.edu
Text: Origins of Life on the Earth and in the Cosmos
Astrobiology: A Brief Introduction
Supplementary Links: http://www.chem.ucsb.edu/~kwp/astrobio.html
Setting the stage
Week 1:
Week 2:
Definition of and potential requirements for life
Origins and evolution of life-supporting universe
Nucleosynthesis
Ch. 1
Ch. 2
Origins of Solar System
Origins and evolution of Earth
Ch. 4
Ch. 5
Origins of Life
Week 3:
Prebiotic Chemistries
Metabolic theories of the origins of life
Midterm Exam I.
Week 4:
Ch. 10
April 20
RNA-world
Ch. 14
Evolution of life on Earth
Week 5:
Origins of genetic code
Ch. 24
Week 6:
Homologous origins of contemporary biochemistry
Ch. 21
Week 7:
Origins of intermediary metabolism
Ch. 22
Midterm Exam II.
Week 8:
May 18
Origins of photosynthesis
Ch. 23
Life in the cosmos
Week 9:
Extremophiles; Physical range of biosphere
Metabolic diversity of biosphere
Supp.
Week 10:
Life in the context of the solar system/cosmos
Search for life in solar system and beyond
Supp.
Final Exam
Thursday, June 15 from 4-7PM