L&S Curricular Connections

Many of the most important scientific breakthroughs in history have dramatically reshaped humankind’s understanding of our place in the universe. Examples include the Copernican revolution, evolution by natural selection, the Big Bang theory of the origin of the universe, and the molecular and genetic basis of evolution. In addition to their intrinsic scientific importance, these ideas also have far reaching implications for other aspects of people’s lives (e.g., philosophical, religious, and political). This course will cover the modern understanding of origins, from the Big Bang through to the evolution of our own species. This is arguably the single most important scientific idea that non-science majors should be introduced to in their time at Berkeley. The course will cover the origin of the elements, to the formation of the Earth, origin of life, the evolution of complex life, and the origin of humans. A major theme of the course will be the scientific method and how we know what we know.