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Extinctions: Past, Present, & Future
Beginner
Online
2 Weeks
Free Quick Facts
| Medium Of Instructions | Mode Of Learning | Mode Of Delivery |
|---|---|---|
| English | Self Study | Video and Text Based |
Courses and Certificate Fees
| Certificate Availability | Certificate Providing Authority |
|---|---|
| yes | Coursera |
The Syllabus
Videos
- Welcome!
- Extinctions As a Concern for the 21st Century
- "Mass" Extinction vs. "Normal" Extinction
- When Is a Species Really Extinct? Exploring Lazarus, Elvis, & Zombie Taxa
- How Extinctions Play a Role in Evolution
- Why Studying Extinctions Is Critical for Our Survival
Readings
- Course Outline & Grading Information
- [Handout] Lazarus, Elvis & Zombie Taxa
- Mass Extinctions & Evolution
- The Insect Apocalypse & Our Present-Day Extinctions
Practice Exercise
- Practice: Week 1
- Graded: Week 1
Videos
- Legends from Ancient & Indigenous Cultures
- Renaissance & Post-Enlightenment Theories on Previous Life
- The Birth of Modern Geology & Paleontology
- Mary Anning & Her Fossil Discoveries
- Victorian Dinosaurs & Extinctions
Readings
- Fossil Myths, American Degeneracy, & Geology Origins
- Early Paleontological Findings
Practice Exercise
- Practice: Week 2
- Graded: Week 2
Videos
- Global Ecological Crises & Mass Extinctions
- The End-Ordovician Extinction: 444 Million Years Ago
- The End-Devonian Extinction: 360 Million Years Ago
- The End-Permian Extinction: 252 Million Years Ago
- The End-Triassic Extinction: 201 Million Years Ago
- The End-Cretaceous Extinction: 66 Million Years Ago
- Mass Extinctions: Commonalities & Differences
Readings
- Precambrian Life, the Rise of Oxygen, & Deadly Plants
- Mammals, Asteroids, & Climate Change
- [Handout] Geological Time Scale
- [Handout] Timeline of Mass Extinctions
Practice Exercise
- Practice: Week 3
- Graded: Week 3
Videos
- European
- North & South American
- Australian
- New Zealand & Madagascar
- The "Overkill" Hypothesis & Habitat Alteration
- Alternative Explanations: Climate Change, Diseases, & Meteorite Impact
- The Ecological After-Effects of Megafauna Extinction
Readings
- Neanderthals, Megafauna, & Theories on Biodiversity
- After-Effects of & Theories About Megafaunal Extinction
Practice Exercise
- Practice: Week 4
- Graded: Week 4
Videos
- The Anthropocene Epoch
- Colonization & Habitat Alteration
- The Rise of Conservation Biology
- Successes & Failures of Conservation Biology
- The "Rewilding" Hypothesis
- "De-Extinction" or Bringing Back Extinct Species
- Modern Climate Change & Extinctions
- The Past Informs Our Future
Readings
- The New Geologic Epoch & Habitat Alteration
- Silent Spring, Rewilding, & Bringing Back the Dead
- Modern Climate Change & the Human Factor
Practice Exercise
- Practice: Week 5
Instructors
Articles
4 Sep'25, 09:00 AM
22 May'25, 10:05 AM
22 Jun'24, 11:01 AM
4 Jun'24, 11:29 AM
8 Apr'24, 04:22 AM
23 Mar'24, 11:44 AM
19 Mar'24, 11:29 AM
27 Feb'24, 11:36 AM
4 Sep'25, 09:00 AM
22 May'25, 10:05 AM
22 Jun'24, 11:01 AM
4 Jun'24, 11:29 AM
8 Apr'24, 04:22 AM
23 Mar'24, 11:44 AM
19 Mar'24, 11:29 AM
27 Feb'24, 11:36 AM