ONLINE: Life began on Earth about 4 billion years ago. Homo sapiens appeared much later, around 300,000 years ago, and began to progressively surpass all other species until eventually becoming the "master of the planet." In the last few centuries, the expansion in humans' numbers and accomplishments has substantively altered the global surface environment and its ecosystems. This course attempts to assess this progress and to speculate on what may lie ahead for the species. We will also examine limitations that are imposed by the nature of Homo sapiens and by planet Earth with its finite resources. Additional discussion topics will include potential energy sources, global cooperation, and the role played by machines and by computer intelligence. | Lecture + Q&A.
Max enrollment: 200.
Class sessions are recorded.
