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53557-01 - Lecture: Early Life on Earth and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life (3 CP)
| Semester | fall semester 2026 |
| Course frequency | Irregular |
| Lecturers | Tomaso Bontognali (tomaso.bontognali@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | The course covers hypotheses on the origin of life, the earliest evidence of life on Earth, and the search for extraterrestrial life, with particular emphasis on past, present, and future robotic missions exploring Mars and other bodies in our solar system. |
| Learning objectives | Hypotheses on the origin of life, earliest evidence of life on Earth, microfossils, stromatolites, biomarkers, isotopic biosignatures, biominerals, the role of life in the evolution of the ocean and atmosphere, astrobiology, history of space exploration, the ExoMars mission, the Mars Sample Return mission, research in Mars analogue sites, planetary caves, and human colonization of other planets. |
| Weblink | Physiogeographie und Umweltwandel |
| Admission requirements | The course is open to students from all backgrounds: no specific knowledge of geology, biology, or robotics is required. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Thursday | 16.15-18.00 | Geographie, Seminarraum EG 0-09 |
Dates
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 17.09.2026 | 16.15-18.00 | Geographie, Seminarraum EG 0-09 |
| Thursday 24.09.2026 | 16.15-18.00 | Geographie, Seminarraum EG 0-09 |
| Thursday 01.10.2026 | 16.15-18.00 | Geographie, Seminarraum EG 0-09 |
| Thursday 08.10.2026 | 16.15-18.00 | Geographie, Seminarraum EG 0-09 |
| Thursday 15.10.2026 | 16.15-18.00 | Geographie, Seminarraum EG 0-09 |
| Thursday 22.10.2026 | 16.15-18.00 | Geographie, Seminarraum EG 0-09 |
| Thursday 29.10.2026 | 16.15-18.00 | Geographie, Seminarraum EG 0-09 |
| Thursday 05.11.2026 | 16.15-18.00 | Geographie, Seminarraum EG 0-09 |
| Thursday 12.11.2026 | 16.15-18.00 | Geographie, Seminarraum EG 0-09 |
| Thursday 19.11.2026 | 16.15-18.00 | Geographie, Seminarraum EG 0-09 |
| Thursday 26.11.2026 | 16.15-18.00 | Geographie, Seminarraum EG 0-09 |
| Thursday 03.12.2026 | 16.15-18.00 | Geographie, Seminarraum EG 0-09 |
| Thursday 10.12.2026 | 16.15-18.00 | Geographie, Seminarraum EG 0-09 |
| Thursday 17.12.2026 | 16.15-18.00 | Geographie, Seminarraum EG 0-09 |
| Modules |
Modul: Fachkompetenz Globaler Wandel (Master's degree subject: Geography) Module: Landscape Systems (Master's Studies: Geosciences) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | Student participation throughout the course and a brief final presentation on a personal project related to one of the course topics. |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration, dereg: cancel course registration |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | 1-6 0,5 |
| Repeated registration | as often as necessary |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Science, studiendekanat-philnat@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Geowissenschaften |