University of Cape Town via Coursera
Discover the diversity of life on earth and how this biodiversity has been shaped by five mass extinction events that occurred in the distant past. Each week we interview scientists about how their research informs us about the biodiversity of our planet including the earliest life forms; fish and tetrapod diversification; the radiation of reptiles and the later domination of dinosaurs; and the rise of mammals. We focus on the five previous mass extinction events to explain this incredible story of life on earth. The fossil record reveals evidence of species that went extinct during each of these catastrophic events and the recovery thereafter when surviving biota diversified. Turning to the present and the Anthropocene period, we look at how human behaviour is negatively impacting Earth’s ecosystems. We conclude by considering the threat of the so-called ‘sixth extinction’, and we discuss ways in which we can mitigate the effects of climate change and the ‘sixth extinction”.
We’ll be exploring the history of life on Earth and the origins of biodiversity by interviewing researchers who share insights about extinction event. In the first two billion years of Earth’s history, bacteria and bacteria alone ruled the world. Bacterial colonies are evident in the fossil record…
Exploring fish and tetrapods diversification after the first and second extinction events.
The catastrophic End Permian extinction event was the biggest extinction event of all time. This almost wiped out life on earth. We will look at before and after this End Permian Extinction event.
The 4th and 5th extinctions are very significant in influencing the development of life. We look initially at how dinosaurs come to dominate the earth for several million years.
In this final module, we explore what we know of the present day loss of biodiversity. We take a close look at some of the negative human impacts on environments and examine our ability to stop the rampant destruction.
Some points apply to every course of this kind; see how we rank.
University of Cape Town is in Tier 3: good universities, respected companies, nonprofits and well-known teachers of our institution ranking (72/100).
Harvard University · edX
Contracts are a part of our everyday life, arising in collaboration, trust, promise and credit. How are contracts formed? What makes a contract enforceable? What happens when one party breaks a promise?
Our economic institutions, organizations, and skills have not kept up with rapid advances in AI. In this growing gap lie many of society’s greatest challenges and opportunities. This course will explore how AI can and will transform our economy and society in the coming years. Each week, we will le…
Harvard University · edX
This introduction to moral and political philosophy is one of the most popular courses taught at Harvard College.
Harvard University · edX
Learn about successful collaborations between families and educators and why they lead to improved outcomes for students and schools.
Harvard University · edX
Learn how to protect children from violence, exploitation, and neglect through law, policy, and practice in a human rights framework.
View the complete course: http://ocw.mit.edu/9-00SCS11 Instructor: John Gabrieli Introduction to Psychology is a survey of the scientific study of human nature, including how the mind works, and how the brain supports the mind. Topics include the mental and neural bases of perception, emotion, lear…
