BIOL118 KS - Life in Extreme Environments

What are the extreme limits to life? Recent discoveries revealed that microorganisms are ubiquitous on Earth from the upper reaches of the atmosphere to the deep, hot subsurface. While the most familiar are found in our temperate surroundings, arguably the most fascinating microorganisms are found thriving under extreme physical and geochemical conditions where very little non-microbial life exists. In this course we will critically examine how these extremophiles adapted to survive, how their activities affect global nutrient cycles, and what their existence may tell us about the origin of life on Earth as well as the potential for life to exist elsewhere in the solar system. Finally, we will explore the impact their discovery has had on the fields of medicine and biotechnology, as well as the chemical and pharmaceutical industries.

Prerequisites: BIOL 043L KS /BIOL 044L KS or BIOL 040L KS /BIOL 044L KS , or BIOL 042L KS /BIOL 044L KS ; CHEM 015L KS or CHEM 042L KS or CHEM 029L KS

Offered: Occasionally

Credit: 1

Course Number: BIOL118 KS