Imagining Other Earths
Learn about the beauty of life and the universe. Coursera provides the study in partnership with Princeton University.
Online
3 Weeks
Free Quick Facts
| Medium Of Instructions | Mode Of Learning | Mode Of Delivery |
|---|---|---|
| English | Self Study | Video and Text Based |
Course Overview
Coursera’s Imagining Other Earths course, is a comprehensive, 3-week training that delves deep into the astronomical, physical, and biological aspects of human life, and tackles the much-pondered question, are we alone? This programme will enable you to create entire universes through the medium of thought experiment.
Moreover, the curriculum also features lessons on the various other planets of the solar system, their atmospheric characteristics, and their thermodynamics. The Imagining Other Earths programme comes with flexible deadlines, which can be reset according to your schedule and preferences. The course is also 100% online and takes approximately 25 hours to complete.
Apart from the usual high-quality video lectures, the Imagining Other Earths training by Coursera also includes interviews with astronomy experts, to provide you with extensive insights about the astronomical research experience. There are also a ton of practice tests to help you solidify the knowledge garnered every week. Since the programme is free of cost, no course completion certificate is provided. If you’ve completed the course, the Coursera accomplishment page will display the details regarding the programme completion.
The Highlights
- 100% online
- Flexible deadlines
- Free course
- English subtitles available
- A Princeton University offering
- Video-based learning
- Beginner-level course
- Approx. 25 hours to complete
Programme Offerings
- Self-paced Training Module
- Flexible learning
- free course
- a Princeton University Offering
- online learning
- Video-based Curriculum
- English Subtitles.
Courses and Certificate Fees
| Certificate Availability |
|---|
| no |
The Imagining Other Earths training course is entirely free of cost, with full access to all the assignments, videos, and other learning material.
Imagining Other Earths Fees Structrure
| Amount | Free |
Imagining Other Earths | Free |
Eligibility Criteria
The Imagining Other Earths training course is a beginner level course and has no eligibility criteria. Anybody interested in biology, planetary science, and astronomy can apply for the programme.
What you will learn
Upon satisfactory completion of the Online Imagining Other Earths programme, you will have knowledge about topics like:
- Stellar evolution and the physical properties of stars
- The solar system and its various constituents
- Physical properties of planetary atmospheres
- Optical imaging of multiple planets and the working theory behind telescopes
- Biochemistry, cellular science, and the evolution of life
- The faint sun problem and the Goldilocks problem
- Fermi Paradox and SETI
Who it is for
Admission Details
To enrol in the Coursera Imagining Other Earths course:
- Go to the course page
- Login to your Coursera account through Facebook, Gmail, Email. If you don’t have an existing account, create one.
- Click the ‘Enroll’ button.
- You’ll get a pop-up asking you to continue the course.
Application Details
To register for the Imagining Other Earths Programme by Coursera, sign up on Coursera with your FB, email, or Apple account. Provide necessary contact details and start learning right away.
The Syllabus
Video
- Welcome
Readings
- Course Overview
- Keep in Touch
Videos
- Introduction
- Planets, Stars and the Milky Way
- From Galaxies to the Big Bang
Videos
- Introduction
- The Main Components
- How Do We Know it When We See it?
Videos
- Physics Overview
- Energy Conservation and the Temperature of Planets
- Habitable Zone and Goldilocks
Videos
- Albedo and the Faint Sun Problem
- Feedbacks and Stability
- Snowball Earth
Videos
- Bulk Properties of Materials
- Kinetic Theory
- Hydrostatic Equilibrium
Videos
- Mercury
- Magnetic Fields
- Venus
- Interview with Sean Solomon
Videos
- Basics
- Mars and Water
- Our Past and Our Future?
Videos
- Basics
- Craters
- Tides
Peer Review
- Peer Assessment: Scientific Goals and Missions
Videos
- Comets and Asteroids
- Solar System Moons
- Saturn
Videos
- Kepler’s Laws and Search for Extrasolar Planets Part I
- Kepler’s Laws and Search for Extrasolar Planets Part II
- Kepler’s Laws and Search for Extrasolar Planets Part III
- Interview with Debra Fischer
- Interview with Freeman Dyson
Videos
- Transits of Venus
- Extrasolar Transits
- Exoplanet Zoo
Videos
- General Relativity
- Microlensing
- Stability
- Interview with John Johnson
Videos
- Basic Concepts
- Properties of Light
- Physical Properties
Videos
- Stellar Structure
- Nuclear Fusion
- Evolution
Peer Review
- Peer Assessment: Astronomy Missions or Future Large Telescopes
Videos
- Height of Mountains
- Atoms
- Jupiter and Brown Dwarfs
Videos
- Optics and Light
- Telescopes
- Imaging Planets
- Interview with Emily Rauscher
Videos
- Angular Momentum
- Protoplanetary Disks
- Diversity of Planetary Systems
Videos
- Simple Ingredients
- Amino Acids to Proteins
- Proteins to Cells
Videos
- Synthesizing Life
- Origin of Cells
- Extraterrestrial Origin?
Videos
- Inevitability of Evolution
- Sex and its Alternatives
- Tree of Life
Videos
- Yellowstone National Park
- Other Examples
- Evolution and Astrobiology
Peer Review
- Peer Assessment: Imagining other planets and solar systems
Videos
- Dinosaurs
- The Other Four Great Extinctions
- Fate of Humanity
Videos
- The Faint Sun Problem
- Goldilocks Problem
- Habitable Zone
Videos
- SETI
- Interstellar Travel
- Fermi Paradox
- Interview with Tullis Onstott
- Interview with Lisa Kaltenegger
Instructors
Princeton University, Princeton Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
Since the Imagining Other Earths course is free, no course completion certificate is given to the candidate.
This is a free course, so students don’t have to apply for financial aid.
Coursera offers different varieties of course access, depending on the type of enrollment. Since Imagining Other Earths programme offers ‘Full course, No certificate’ option instead, the training doesn’t offer certification. Moreover, all the course content and graded assignments are unlocked for all users.
No, the deadlines for all the weekly assignments are quite flexible and can be changed as per one’s convenience.
The Imagining Other Earths course is free of cost for all users.