) 9:05-9:55 MW GY 126
Rocks from the moon, Mars, asteroids, and possibly also from comets
have a common ancestry that is also the Earth's.  What is our common
origin?  Is life exclusive to the Earth?  Have the planets evolved
differently?  How do the interiors of planetary bodies, big and
small, look?  How do we find answers to such questions?  Samples on
loan from NASA and the Smithsonian for sole use of this class give
students a hands-on experience of contemporary research practices in
extraterrestrial materials.  Taught by Professor Basu, Principal
Investigator for NASA for nearly 20 years, the course is designed to
make current research material and the results of space-research
accessible to freshman students who are not science majors.  The
basic tenet of the course is that common sense and simple laws of
physics and chemistry are enough to enjoy and understand a seemingly
remote topic.

Two 50-minute lectures, and one 50-minute laboratory per week.  Three
quizzes, two mid-terms, one comprehensive final, and weekly
laboratory reports are required.  Old tests are on file in the
Geology Library.