Environmental Geology

The only planet known to sustain life, Earth provides all the resources that sustain us, yet it can be an unpredictable and sometimes dangerous home. Floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and other natural processes challenge our ingenuity, while we also contend with self-induced problems such as pollution, desertification, and even global climate change. This course examines earth processes, how these affect our lives, and how we can best live with and sustain our environment.

History of Life

Life forms have inhabited the surface of our planet for most of its history. Earth, as a result, has a unique geology that is unlike that of any other planet. In this course we will examine the interrelations between life processes and Earth's crust and atmosphere and how they work together to create the geology of the planet. Using both the rock and fossil record, we will study the origin and evolution of life, the history of continents and oceans, and the diversification of complex life forms.
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