BIOL 314

Dinosaurs and the Science of Life

This course investigates the evolution, form, function, and extinction of dinosaurs as a means of introducing students to scientific principles that are common to all forms of life on Earth. Topics will include scientific methodology; the mechanisms of evolution; the structure, early history, and geologic processes of the Earth; the evolutionary history of life on Earth; the diversity, ecology, physiology and behavior of dinosaurs; birds as dinosaurs. Additional topics will include proposed mechanisms of dinosaur extinction including meteorite impacts, volcanic plume events, global winters, global climate change, acid rain, and how each may occur today; genetics, the structure and function of DNA, cellular reproduction, cloning and stem cell technologies and whether they can be used to resurrect extinct organisms such as dinosaurs. This course was formerly designated BIOL 464, and may not be taken by students who have completed BIOL 464.

Units: 3.0

Hours: 54 hours LEC