2019 Life in the Universe

Overview

This course examines the astrophysical background to the study of Life in the Universe. What is Life, and what are the most basic requirements for Life to exist in the Universe? What environments are conducive to Life, and how do these come about? Can we imagine Universes without Life.

Lecturer: Prof. Dr. Simon Lilly

Substitute Lecturers: Dr. Bruno Henriques, Dr. Jorryt Matthee

Exam preparation:

Download50 summary questions for Life in the Universe (PDF, 62 KB)

Seminars

If you intend to take the exam for this course, then you should present a seminar. These are scheduled towards the end of the semester:

DownloadTalks Schedule.pdf (PDF, 19 KB)

If you need help preparing your presentation, please contact Bruno and Jorryt (, )

Schedule

Lectures: Wednesday, HIT F 11.1, 13.45 - 15.30 h

Program

Week 1 - 20.02.2019

Introduction

What is Life?
What is the Universe?

Download1_Intro_2019.pdf (PDF, 20 MB)

Week 2 - 27.02.19, Week 3 - 06.03.19, Week 4 - 13.03.19

Life in the Solar System

General properties of planets
Formation and evolution of planets in the Solar System
Origin and evolution of Life on Earth
Extraterrestrial influences on terrestrial life
Why Carbon?
Possibilities for Life elsewhere in the Solar System

Download2_SolarSystem_2019_part1.pdf (PDF, 13.4 MB)

Download3_SolarSystem2019_part2.pdf (PDF, 5.3 MB)

Download3_SolarSystem2019_part3.pdf (PDF, 7.7 MB)

Week 5 - 20.03.19, Week 6 - 27.03.19, Week 7 - 04.04.19

Exosolar planets

Detection methods of exosolar planets
Exoplanetary systems: New perspectives on planet formation
Habitable zones
Remote detection of biosignatures
Extraterrestrial intelligence: The Drake equation
SETI techniques and possibilities

Download3_Exosolar2019_part1.pdf (PDF, 5.6 MB)

Download3_Exosolar2019_part2.pdf (PDF, 15 MB)

Week 8 - 10.04.19, Week 9 - 17.04.19

Stars and nucleosynthesis

Stars as sources of energy
Stars as sources of the chemical elements
The special case of Carbon
Endpoints of stellar evolution and the recycling of gas
The formation of stars

Download4_Stars2019_part1.pdf (PDF, 2.1 MB)

Download4_Stars2019_part2.pdf (PDF, 3.4 MB)

24.04.19 Easter break

01.05.19 May 1 holiday

Week 10 - 08.05.19, Week 11 - 15.05.19

Cosmology

The size and age of the Universe
Baryogenesis and the content of the Universe: dark matter and baryonic matter
The formation and evolution of galaxies
Anthropic considerations on the cosmological parameters
The future of the Universe

Download5_Cosmology2019_part1.pdf (PDF, 14.3 MB)

Download5_Cosmology2019_part2.pdf (PDF, 13.3 MB)

Week 12 - 22.05.19, Week 13 - 29.05.19

Reserved for student talks