Life as a Planetary Phenomenon
GENED 1070
Subject & Catalog Number
Course Information
Description
Is there alien life beyond Earth?
What is it about Earth that enables life to thrive? This question was reinvigorated with the 2016 ground-breaking discovery of a habitable planet around the nearest star, Proxima Centauri. A decade of exploration confirmed that such planets are common in our galaxy, and the commonality of habitable planets has raised anew some age-old questions: Where do we come from? What is it to be human? Where are we going? Are we alone in the universe? And last, but not least, what are the dangers of becoming a multi-planet species? Life and planets are intricately linked through geological processes, chemistry, and ultimately, biology, all of which you will explore in this course as we endeavor to answer questions about our place on this planet and beyond. You will gain knowledge of some natural sciences fundamentals while exploring current issues in biotechnology and space exploration technology. This course aims to equip you with both a conceptual understanding of Earth and its place in the universe as well as the quantitative reasoning to think critically about it. Hands-on experiences are central to accomplishing these objectives.
Class Notes
This course is part of the Gen Ed lottery and has an enrollment cap. To participate in the lottery, you must request permission to enroll and rank your choices through my.harvard by 11:59 p.m. EST Wednesday, November 12, 2025.
- Note: You must rank your course choices to participate in the lottery--even if you choose only one course.
The Gen Ed lottery will run Thursday, November 13. If you are successful in the lottery, your course petition in your Crimson Cart will turn into a green check that allows you to enroll. You will have until 11:59 p.m. EST Friday, November 14, to select “enroll” and claim your seat. After that time, enrollment will open up to non-lottery petitioners.
For more information, please check the Registration and Lottery page of the Gen Ed website.
Available for Harvard Cross Registration
NOTE: This course requires additional sections; you will be prompted to choose secondary components during the Add to Cart process
