- Docente: Barbara Cavalazzi
- Credits: 6
- SSD: GEO/01
- Language: Italian
- Moduli: Barbara Cavalazzi (Modulo 1) Roberto Orosei (Modulo 2)
- Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures (Modulo 1) Traditional lectures (Modulo 2)
- Campus: Bologna
-
Corso:
First cycle degree programme (L) in
Natural Sciences (cod. 5823)
Also valid for First cycle degree programme (L) in Astronomy (cod. 8004)
First cycle degree programme (L) in Geological Sciences (cod. 8015)
-
from Feb 25, 2025 to Apr 29, 2025
-
from Mar 07, 2025 to May 23, 2025
Learning outcomes
Astrobiology is a relatively new science that seeks answers to the origins of life in the Universe. At the end of the course the student, following a multidisciplinary approach, will acquires solid scientific bases of the main topics in astrobiology. The geological conditions of the prebiotic Earth and the conditions for planetary habitability, the peculiarty of the planet Earth and the nature of life, its origin on Earth and its evolutionary history (in the first 1.5 billion years) will be discussed.
Course contents
Module I: What is astrobiology. History of astrobiology. Astrobiology in society: missions and space exploration. Formation of the Earth, its natural satellite and the genesis of the conditions of its habitability. Geological time scale and geological time scale on other planets. Evolution of the terrestrial geo-biosphere (and habitability conditions) during the Andean and the Archean. Biological signatures (biosigantures). Introduction to extreme environments, extremophiles and terrestrial analogues.
Lab. activities: Biosigantures and life detection
Modulo II: Origin of the Universe and Solar System formation. Habitability of planetary bodies. Habitability of Mars and ice Moons. Europa, Titan and Enceladus. Methods and strategies for trace of life detection in our solar system and exo-planets.
Readings/Bibliography
Lectures (pdf) will be available to the students immediately after the lessons, they will also contain suggestions for further readings (e.g. scientific papers) on the covered topics.
Other suggested books:
- Cockell, 2015. Astrobiology: Understanding Life in the Universe. Wiley-Blackwell, 472 pages.
- Barbieri, 2019. A Brief Introduction to the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Life. CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, 132 pages.
Teaching methods
In presence lessons.
Assessment methods
Oral examination with a ppt support, on a topic selected by the studente and previously discussed; it will follow some questions. The examination committee will be composed by Barbara Cavalazzi and Roberto Orosei.
Teaching tools
TEAMS rooms only for seminars (the teaching will be in presence), PC, video projector.
Office hours
See the website of Barbara Cavalazzi
See the website of Roberto Orosei