Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update
Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, any references to assessment tasks and on-campus delivery may no longer be up-to-date on this page.
Students should consult iLearn for revised unit information.
Find out more about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and potential impacts on staff and students
Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Professor, convenor
Simon George
Contact via 02 9850 4424
Room 329, 12 Wally’s Walk
Book time by email
Associate Professor, lecturer on unit
Craig O'Neill
Contact via 02 9850 9673
Room 125, 12 Wally’s Walk
Book time by email
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Credit points |
Credit points
10
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
40cp at 1000 level or above
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
This is a broad-based interdisciplinary science unit which aims to present a non-technical overview of recent ideas in astrobiology, which is about the origin of life on Earth and the possibility of finding life elsewhere in the universe. The presentation is suitable for students without any science background. The unit presents an integrated view of science across a broad range of disciplines (geoscience, biology, astronomy, cosmology and organic chemistry); looks at some of the 'big questions' (such as the origin of the Universe; what is life?; are we alone?; early Earth; and the search for life on Mars and outer solar system moons); and presents science as it is actually done, not just as a set of facts.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update
Assessment details are no longer provided here as a result of changes due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Students should consult iLearn for revised unit information.
Find out more about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and potential impacts on staff and students
On-line quizzes on lectures and practicals/tutorials
In each week a quiz will open to make sure you have read and understood the lecture material, and have successfully completed any assessed practical/tutorial from that week. The 13 quizzes will be available on-line through the iLearn system (See “Quizzes” section of iLearn) and together are worth 30% of the unit mark. The % unit mark per quiz varies depending on how material is covered (see p. 8, unit handout). You will do these in your own time, open book, and they will be open after the lecture on Wednesday. They should only be done after completing that week’s practical/tutorial, if it is assessed (see p. 8, unit handout). The quizzes will close at 23:59 on the following Monday. There will be a time limit of between 30 mins and 90 mins on the quizzes (depending on how much material is covered, see p. 8, unit handout) and this time will also be advertised on the start of the quiz itself. The question order is forced and random, so you only get one go at each question. Don’t bother flagging questions that you are uncertain about, as you WILL NOT be able to go back!
Assignments
There are two assignments (see unit schedule for titles and timing). The assignments will be released to you electronically (not in hard copy) on iLearn on the date shown in the scheule, and later that week will be discussed before or after one of the lectures or practicals. The assignments are heavily text and research based, so skill at writing are important. Each assignment topic must be fully researched and the assignment written in your own words. Cutting and pasting information from web pages is NOT acceptable. Information you obtain from other sources (brief quotes, images, ideas) must be fully referenced in the text (author, year), with references listed at the end of the essay (year, author, title, journal or link). See later in the handout for sections on academic honesty and referencing. Students who fail in these fundamental principles and basic skills may score zero for assignments.
Both assignments are to be submitted using Turnitin. Macquarie University promotes student awareness of information management and information ethics. As well as training and the provision of general information, the University tackles the issue of plagiarism through use of an online plagiarism detection tool (Turnitin). This software is used in conjunction with a set of procedures to ensure its use is equitable. You will need to submit the text of both assignments for GEOS2042 to Turnitin via the iLearn page.
The two major assignments will be due by 17:00, by which time the assignment must be uploaded to Turnitin.
Turnitin automatically compares your work to the work of your classmates, previous students from Macquarie University and other universities, and with material available on the Internet, both freely available and in subscription-based electronic journals and books. The results will be sent only to your unit convenor and tutors, who will analyse these in reference to the University's standard Policy on Plagiarism.
Exam
The unit examination will be based on lectures, unit reading material, lab exercises, information you should have absorbed through completing assignments and any other material presented during classes. A printed English dictionary (not electronic) may be brought in for the exam if English is not your first language. The educational rationale for the exam is to check the acquired knowledge by the students at the end of the unit.
The University Examination period in the First Half Year 2020 is from Tuesday 9 June 2020 to Friday 26 June 2020. You are expected to present yourself for examination at the time and place designated in the University Examination Timetable. The timetable will be available in draft form approximately eight weeks before the commencement of the examinations and in Final form approximately four weeks before the commencement of the examinations.
http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au/
See unit handout for more details
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update
Any references to on-campus delivery below may no longer be relevant due to COVID-19.
Please check here for updated delivery information: https://ask.mq.edu.au/account/pub/display/unit_status
Set textbook and background reading
Bennett, J, and Shostak, S (2016). Life in the Universe (4th Edition). Pearson Higher Ed, USA. ISBN-9780134080321.
See unit handout for more details
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update
The unit schedule/topics and any references to on-campus delivery below may no longer be relevant due to COVID-19. Please consult iLearn for latest details, and check here for updated delivery information: https://ask.mq.edu.au/account/pub/display/unit_status
GEOS2042: Life, the Universe and Everything (2020): Schedule
Week |
Lecture (Wednesdays) |
Who |
Lectures 14 Sir Christopher Ondaatje Ave - T4 Theatre |
Practicals/tutorials and quizzes 11 Wally’s Walk, 220; Wednesdays and Thursdays |
1 |
26 February 14:00-15:00 15:00-16:00 |
SCG SCG |
Lec. 1 A Short History of the Universe* Lec. 2: Early Life on Earth* |
26–27 Feb (SCG) Introduction to the Unit: web page, plagiarism, referencing. Quiz 1: 1.0%, 30 mins |
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4/3/20, 9:00 |
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* Ass. 1 issued: Paper Review – due week 5 |
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2 |
4 March 14:00-15:00 15:00-16:00 |
CJO CJO |
Lec. 3: How to Form a Habitable Solar System* Lec. 4: The Dawn of Earth* |
4–5 March (SCG) Group Discussion: Define "life" Quiz 2: 1.0%, 30 mins |
3 |
11 March 14:00-15:00 15:00-16:00 |
SCG SCG |
Lec. 5: The Origin of Life* Lec. 6: What is Life?* |
11–12 March (OA) Solar System Computer Exercise* Quiz 3: 3.0%, 60 mins |
4 |
18 March 14:00-15:00 15:00-16:00 |
SCG SCG |
Lec. 7: Rock identification (on Earth and Mars)* Lec. 8: Techniques Used in The Search for Life* |
18–19 March (OA) Voyage to the Planets DVD and Signs of Life podcast: The Search For Life on Mars Quiz 4: 1.0%, 30 mins |
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24/3/20, 17:00 |
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* Ass. 1 due: Paper Review |
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5 |
25 March 14:00-15:00 15:00-16:00 |
SCG SCG |
Lec. 9: The Search for Life on Mars: Part 1, to Phoenix* Lec. 10: The Search for Life on Mars: Part 2, Curiosity and beyond* |
1–2 April (OA) Rock Practical- week 1 (* after week 2) Quiz 5: 1.0%, 30 mins |
6 |
1 April 14:00-15:00 15:00-16:00 |
CJO CJO |
Lec. 11: Meteorites: The extra-terrestrial sample* Lec. 12: Building blocks of the solar system* |
1–2 April (OA) Rock Practical- week 2* Quiz 6: 5.0%, 90 mins |
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8/4/20, 9:00 |
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Ass. 2 issued: Lander Project – due week 10 |
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7 |
8 April 14:00-15:00 15:00-16:00 |
SCG
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Lec. 13: Habitability of Planets and the Co-evolution of Life and its Environment* |
8–9 April (CJO) Meteorite Practical* Quiz 7: 3.0%, 60 mins |
2 Week Recess |
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8 |
29 April 14:00-15:00
15:00-16:00 |
CJO
SCG |
Lec. 14: Environments in the Outer Solar System* Lec. 15: Analogue Sites and the Virtual Fieldtrip* |
29–30 April No practical this week Quiz 8: 1.5%, 30 mins |
9 |
6 May 14:00-15:00 15:00-16:00 |
MG MG |
Lec. 16: The universal tree of life* Lec. 17: Reconstructing LUCA* |
6–7 May (OA) Virtual Fieldtrip Computer Exercise* Quiz 9: 3.0%, 60 mins |
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12/5/20, 17:00 |
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Ass. 2 due: Lander Project |
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10 |
13 May 14:00-15:00
15:00-16:00 |
SCG
- |
Lec. 18: Geochemical Biomarker Evidence for Early Life* Lec. 19 (online only): A Modern Origin Story?* |
13–14 May (OA) Palaeobiology Practical* Quiz 10: 3.0%, 60 mins
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11 |
20 May 14:00-15:00 15:00-16:00 |
SCG SCG |
Lec. 20: Extremophiles* Lec. 21: Organic Molecules in Space… and more on the Origin of Life on Earth* |
20–21 May (SCG + OA) Biomarker Practical- week 1 (* after week 2) Quiz 11: 1.5%, 30 mins |
12 |
27 May 14:00-15:00 15:00-16:00 |
SCG SCG |
Lec. 22: Extrasolar planets* Lec. 23: Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence* |
27–28 May (SCG + OA) Biomarker Practical- week 2* Quiz 12: 5.0%, 90 mins |
13 |
3 June 14:00-15:00 15:00-16:00 |
SCG |
Lec. 24: Unit summary* (2 hours)
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3–4 June (SCG) Fermi Paradox* Preparation for unit exam: format, what to expect Quiz 13: 1.0%, 30 mins |
Who: SCG = Prof. Simon George (EES, convenor); CJO = A/Prof. Craig O’Neill (EES); MG = Prof. Michael Gillings (Biological Sciences), AO = Dr Olivier Alard. * = assessed work by iLearn quizzes.
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Students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct
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Lectures and practicals/tutorials have been re-ordered.