授業の内容

The study of planet Earth embraces a wide range of topics, from the formation of rocks to the evolution of life, from continental drift to the study of earthquakes and volcanoes. In this course, fundamental concepts of earth science will be covered. Students will be introduced to plate tectonics, the fundamental theory underlying the geological processes which have shaped the environment in which we live and continue to modify the landscape, from the slow, progressive uplift of mountains to violent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Students will learn how the Earth recycles matter and how minerals and rocks form and are transformed. One chapter is dedicated to the issue of time, more specifically the question of how the age of rocks and geological events can be determined, which is central to earth science. We will then take a step back and look at Earth’s 4.5-billion-year history to see how the Earth’s geography has changed and how life has evolved. Besides providing a basic and up-to-date knowledge of the essential concepts of earth science, the aim of this course is to stimulate the interest and curiosity of the students for the study of planet Earth and provoke questions, comments, and discussions about issues related to earth science.