Geology
- GEOL E-101a The Earth: What It Is, How It Works (Fall)
- GEOL E-105 Living Dangerously: The Earth, Its Resources, and the Environment (Spring)
GEOL E-101a
The Earth: What It Is, How It Works (12551)
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John B. Southard, PhD, Professor of Geology, Emeritus, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
4 units. Noncredit $325, undergraduate credit $625, graduate credit $1,525.
Thursday, Sept. 22, 7:35-9:35 pm, Sever Hall, Room 106.
Fall
term
This course is designed for anyone who wants to know more about the nature of the solid Earth. After an introduction to minerals, the first part of the course deals with the overall structure of the Earth. The middle part deals with the rocks and structures of the Earth's crust that are observable in outcrops and local regions. The main focus in the third part is the large-scale dynamics of the Earth in the context of plate tectonics and the consequences for earthquakes, volcanoes, and the development of the great mountain belts of the continents. Optional laboratory session on minerals and rocks; one or two optional one-day field trips.
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GEOL E-105
Living Dangerously: The Earth, Its Resources, and the Environment (22458)
(Syllabus) (Print View)
Heinrich D. Holland, PhD, Harry C. Dudley Professor of Economic Geology, Emeritus, Harvard University.
4 units. Noncredit $325, undergraduate credit $625, graduate credit $1,525.
Tuesday, Jan. 31, 5:30-7:30 pm, Geological Museum, Room 102.
Spring
term
The Earth is a large physical-chemical-biological system. This course examines the working of this system, the accumulation and limits of natural resources, and the effects of their use on the environment. Questions addressed include: Will we run out of natural resources? Will we drown in our own garbage? Will we foul our nest irrevocably? Are we creating large scale catastrophes? Prerequisites: high school chemistry and mathematics.
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