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2024　Introduction to History of the Earth

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Academic unit or major
Undergraduate major in Earth and Planetary Sciences
Instructor(s)
Ozaki Kazumi  Gilbert Romain Alexis 
Class Format
Lecture     
Media-enhanced courses
Day/Period(Room No.)
-
Group
-
Course number
EPS.A203
Credits
2
Academic year
2024
Offered quarter
3Q
Syllabus updated
2024/3/14
Lecture notes updated
-
Language used
Japanese
Access Index

Course description and aims

This course will examine the history of the Earth and life. In the chapter "Hadean", origin of the planet and the formation of the atmosphere and ocean will be examined. In the chapter "Archean", record of Earth's early biological activities and basics of geology and tectonics will be examined. In the chapter "Proterozoic" onset of oxygenic photosynthesis, redox evolution, and continental growth will be examined. In the chapter "Phanerozoic", appearance of metazoan, mass extinction and climate change will be examined.

Student learning outcomes

Understand the history of the Earth from the planet formation to present. Learn basic concepts of various geosciences for decoding Earth's history. Understand what is the evidence for several key hypothesis. Also, this course will provide information for choosing further specific research field in geosciences.

Keywords

History of the Earth and Life

Competencies that will be developed

✔ Specialist skills Intercultural skills Communication skills ✔ Critical thinking skills Practical and/or problem-solving skills

Class flow

Student should submit attendance report every time as well as final report at the end of this course.

Course schedule/Required learning

  Course schedule Required learning
Class 1 Introduction: Geologic Time Scale Understand phenomena occurred in various geologic time scale.
Class 2 Planet Formation and Differentiation Understand how the Earth formed and differentiated
Class 3 Origin of life Understand hypotheses for the origin of life
Class 4 Formation of the ocean and the atmosphere Understand the formation of the ocean and the atmosphere
Class 5 Faint Young Sun Paradox Understand the stability of the climate
Class 6 Primitive ecosystem Learn the evolution of chemotrophs and anoxygenic photoautotrophs
Class 7 Evolution of the ocean-atmosphere system and the continental growth Learn the evolution of the ocean-atmosphere system and the continental growth during the Archean
Class 8 The Great Oxidation Event Learn how the atmosphere and ocean were oxygenated
Class 9 Snowball Earth events Learn climatic upheavals in the geological past
Class 10 Evolution of eukaryotes during the Proterozoic Learn the evolution of life during the Proterozoic
Class 11 The Paleozoic Understand the evolution of the Earth system during the Paleozoic
Class 12 The Mesozoic Understand the evolution of the Earth system during the Mesozoic
Class 13 The Cenozoic Understand the evolution of the Earth system during the Cenozoic
Class 14 Anthropocene and future projection Understand the causes of climate change

Out-of-Class Study Time (Preparation and Review)

To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.

Textbook(s)

None

Reference books, course materials, etc.

Geochemistry, Sadao Matsuo
History of life and Earth, Shigenori Maruyama, Yukio Isozaki

Assessment criteria and methods

Student performance will be assessed by attendance report or small test every time (50%) and by final report (50%).

Related courses

  • EPS.A334 ： Biogeoscience
  • EPS.A202 ： Introduction to Earth and Planetary Sciences
  • EPS.A201 ： Introduction to Material Sciences of Earth and Planet

Prerequisites (i.e., required knowledge, skills, courses, etc.)

None

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