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.