Deep Time: Discovering an Ancient Earth

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/deep-time-discovering-an-ancient-earth

Introduction

**Course Review: Deep Time: Discovering an Ancient Earth** In an era where understanding our planet's history is more crucial than ever, the Coursera course "Deep Time: Discovering an Ancient Earth" offers a captivating journey through billions of years of geological evolution. This online course expertly combines the wonders of geology with the frameworks of science, providing learners with the tools to ponder profound questions about our existence and the nature of the world around us. **Overview of the Course** "Deep Time" invites participants to explore the depths of our planet’s past, from the formation of stars to the ridges of the Rocky Mountains. The course is structured into four comprehensive modules, each designed to expand the learner's grasp of geological time and processes: 1. **Science and Geology in Search of Deep Time**: This introductory module explores the foundations of science, laying the groundwork for understanding geology's role in unveiling Earth's history. It connects the dots between significant branches of science, emphasizing geology's unique contribution to answering questions about “who, where, and when.” 2. **Origins: Stars to Planets, Continents, Oceans, and Atmospheres**: Participants embark on a "highlight trip" through the universe's most significant transitions. This module covers the formation of our planet, delving into rock and mineral analysis, radiometric dating, and seismology, giving learners a fundamental understanding of Earth’s early conditions. 3. **Seas and Ancient Mountains of North America**: Focusing on North America's geological history, this module reveals the changes in the rock record from the Precambrian to the Phanerozoic Eon. Through virtual field trips and lectures, learners engage with concepts such as the Great Unconformity and the implications of shifting sea levels driven by climate and tectonics. 4. **The Rise of the Modern Rocky Mountains**: The final module provides a richly detailed account of the geological processes that shaped the Rocky Mountains. It emphasizes the iterative processes of uplift and erosion over time, connecting learners back to the responsibility of scientific inquiry in assessing truth in the present world. **What Makes This Course Stand Out?** One of the course's greatest strengths is its blend of theoretical knowledge and practical application. Each module employs virtual-video field trips to Flagstaff Mountain, providing a tangible, immersive experience that enhances understanding and engagement. The integration of various scientific disciplines helps learners appreciate the interconnectedness of knowledge while making complex topics more digestible. Additionally, the course encourages critical thinking, urging participants to reflect on the implications of geological history in our current lives. This ability to draw connections from ancient Earth to today’s world fosters a deeper appreciation for both science and the responsibilities it entails. **Who Should Take This Course?** "Deep Time: Discovering an Ancient Earth" is suitable for anyone with a curiosity about our planet’s history, from casual learners to those pursuing academic interests in geology, environmental science, or anthropology. Given its engaging content and structure, it is also ideal for educators looking to enrich their knowledge base or those who aim to inspire others with the grandeur of Earth's deep past. **Recommendation** In conclusion, I highly recommend "Deep Time: Discovering an Ancient Earth" to anyone interested in understanding the processes that have shaped our planet over billions of years. The course not only provides valuable scientific education but also cultivates a mindset that appreciates the complexities of nature and the responsibility we have towards it. Whether you are a science enthusiast or simply curious about Earth’s intricacies, this course is a profound exploration that you should not miss. Enroll today and embark on a journey through time that will alter your perspective on our world forever.

Syllabus

Science and Geology in Search of Deep Time

We might well be the first species to ask, and even begin to answer, some big questions about the world around us: Who are we? Where are we? and When are we? Geology joins some heavy hitters, like evolutionary biology and cosmology, when it comes to providing major insights, particularly into the latter question.This first module begins with a look at science in general, how it works and where it came from. We then address the historical beginnings of a “science of the earth” (geology) and how, from its very inception, it pointed towards an earth of immense age, the business of Deep Time. The module wraps up with an introduction to the assessment of rock and mineral age determination using both qualitative and isotopic methods.

The power of science is no better exemplified than through its ability to peer into the most remote depths of Deep Time. In this second module we take a cursory “highlight trip” through a host of very ancient and key origins, from the universe itself to stars and planets, and then to Earth’s first oceans, atmosphere, crust, and life. We take a literal deep dive into the underpinnings of the North American continent, the so-called Precambrian basement. Using rock and mineral analysis, radiometric dating, seismology, and the treasure trove of deep-earth materials brought to the surface by kimberlitic “diamond-pipe” eruptions, geologists have put together an understanding of how North America, and continents in general, grow through time.

We tackle the story of North America, as it emerges from the Precambrian into the Phanerozoic Eon (i.e., Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic Eras). The story is read from the book of rock layers, and as such we review some of the language of geology—rocks and the rock-cycle. We VISIT (via both lecture and virtual-video-field trip) the puzzling yet pervasive Great Unconformity, an enormous gap in the rock record that sits directly below the first strata with shell fossils. We consider the marine waters that washed onto and off the land, as climate and tectonics drove changes in sea-level. Lastly, as the Pangea Super-Continent coalesced in the Late Paleozoic, we see the rise of the Ancestral Rocky Mountains. Note: This module contains the first two of three Video Field Trip Outings to Flagstaff Mountain, near Boulder, Colorado.

Moving into the final phase of Earth history in the Rocky Mountains, the Mesozoic and Cenozoic Eras, the geological record provides greater resolution and reveals, with rather exceptional detail, the location and timing of mountain uplifts, ocean incursions, changing climate, and the fossil record. The modern Rocky Mountains turn out to be a consequence of uplift, erosion, and then renewed uplift with a final sculpting via glacial ice. We conclude by coming full circle, back to science itself— recognizing it as more than simply a tool for reconstructing nature and the past, but also carrying a charge of responsibility for assessing truth and evaluating claims within our own lives and the present world. Note: This module begins with the third and final Video Field Trip Outing to Flagstaff Mountain, near Boulder, Colorado.