Life in Our Universe
Course Overview
Peer into the exciting new field of astrobiology and learn what science knows about one of the most fundamental questions of all time: Is there life elsewhere in the universe?
Course No. 1898
Are we alone in the universe? This course explores the cutting-edge research suggesting life may exist beyond Earth. Professor Close guides you through Earth’s remarkable 3.5-billion-year habitable history, the search for microbial life in our solar system, and the hunt for Earth-like exoplanets. Key questions include:
- What conditions allow life to emerge?
- Could Mars, Venus, or icy moons host life?
- How do we detect habitable worlds around other stars?
- Is intelligent extraterrestrial life possible?
Video Lectures
Module 1: Foundations of Astrobiology
- Is There Life Elsewhere in Our Universe? (30 min)
Introduction to astrobiology’s five core questions and technological breakthroughs enabling discovery. - Bang! A Universe Built for Life (29 min)
How the Big Bang created elements essential for life. - A Star Is Born: Forming the Solar System (30 min)
Planet formation from planetesimals and the role of asteroids/comets. - The Early Earth and Its Moon (31 min)
Earth’s unique properties that sustained life for billions of years.
Module 2: Life on Earth and Beyond
- Impacts: Bringers of Death … or Life? (29 min)
The Late Heavy Bombardment and asteroid threats to Earth. - Evidence of the First Life on Earth (31 min)
Earth’s climate stability and earliest life forms. - Common Themes for All Life on Earth (30 min)
Shared traits of terrestrial life and the Biosphere 2 experiment. - Origin of Terrestrial Life (30 min)
Theories on life’s emergence from nonliving matter.
Module 3: Searching Our Solar System
- Astrobiology: Life beyond Earth (27 min)
Why liquid water is crucial for life and alternative solvents. - Has Mars Always Been Dead? (28 min)
Mars’ potential for past or present life. - Evidence for Fossilized Life from Mars (28 min)
The 1996 Martian meteorite controversy and panspermia theory. - Could Life Ever Have Existed on Venus? (31 min)
Venus’ extreme conditions and lost water.
Module 4: Ocean Worlds and Exoplanets
- Liquid Assets: The Moons of Jupiter (31 min)
Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto’s subsurface oceans. - Liquid on Titan and Enceladus (32 min)
Saturn’s moons and the Huygens Probe discoveries. - Discovery of Extrasolar Planets (29 min)
Methods to detect planets around other stars. - The Kepler Spacecraft’s Planets (30 min)
Kepler’s findings on exoplanet diversity.
Module 5: Intelligent Life and Future Frontiers
- A Tour of Exotic Alien Solar Systems (31 min)
Hot Jupiters, super-Earths, and Earth-like exoplanets. - Extraterrestrial Intelligent Life (29 min)
Estimating the prevalence of intelligent civilizations. - SETI: The Search for Intelligent Life (31 min)
The Drake Equation and interstellar communication challenges. - The Fermi Paradox: Where Is Everyone? (31 min)
Why we haven’t found evidence of alien civilizations.
Module 6: Humanity’s Cosmic Future
- Space Travel: A Reality Check (32 min)
Obstacles and theoretical solutions for interstellar travel. - Terraforming a Planet (30 min)
Engineering Mars or Venus to support human life. - The Future of Terrestrial Life (32 min)
Why Earth’s long-term habitability is uncertain. - The Search for Another Earth (36 min)
Next-gen missions to identify habitable exoplanets.

