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Nature's Sandbox: The History of Ancient Environments, Climate, and Life


MITx
Enrollment is Closed

About This Course

We are excited to interact with you about many of the amazing aspects of the first four billion years of Earth History. During the first four billion years of the history of the Earth, our planet was very different than the planet we inhabit today. For example, no plants and animals! We will survey this period in Earth's history through a series of field adventures, with virtual field trips to Svalbard, Norway, the Death Valley area and Northern Minnesota. In these key sites, students explore the interactions between Earth's surface environments and life, and critical transitions in each. Subject can count toward the 9-unit discovery-focused credit limit for first year students.

The video content includes lightboard lectures, interviews and field footage to explore the rocks that record these billions of years of history.

Requirements

None

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