What is the basic chemistry of living organisms?
We introduce the requirements for metabolism (raw
materials and energy), the ATP/ADP energy cycle in cells, auto- and
heterotrophs, photosynthesis and chemosynthesis, and the role played by
liquid water. The goal of today's lecture is to seek insights into the
basic requirements for life from a consideration ... Show More
Oct 2009
Lecture 17: Life on the Edge
Extremophiles are organisms that are adapted to survive in extreme environments. This lecture describes the challenges that extremes of heat, cold, acidity, salinity, and radiation pose to organisms, and show examples of how evolution has nonetheless allowed some organisms to ada ... Show More
46m 54s
Mar 2006
Lecture 44: Life, the Universe, and Everything (Life Part II)
How can we search for extraterrestrial intelligence, and what are we looking for? This second part of a 2-part lecture picks up where we left off yesterday by examining SETI, the Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence, and reviews what we might look for and how. We will use thi ... Show More
45m 56s
Sep 2007
Lecture 02: Astronomical Numbers
What are our units of measure in astronomy? To begin our exploration of astronomy, we first need to develop a common language for notating large numbers, and introduce the basic units of length, mass, and time that we will use throughout the quarter. This lecture is a quick revie ... Show More
43m 58s
Sep 2007
Welcome to Astronomy 161 for Autumn Quarter 2007
Welcome to the Astronomy 161 Lecture Podcasts. This is a brief message from me explaining the podcasts, and welcoming new and old listeners. University. Lectures will begin on Wednesday, 2007 Sept 19, and run through Friday, 2007 Nov 30. New lectures will appear shortly before 6p ... Show More
7m 35s