Geosci PS 1600, Dinosaurs and The Fossil Record

Course Overview

In this class we discuss the fossil record from the very oldest fossils found on earth to the present day. We cover the origin and early development of life on earth, the move from the ocean to land, the rise and extinction of the dinosaurs, the rise of mammals, and the evolution of humans. Throughout this discussion, we cover the major principles and arguments involved in the interpretation of the fossil record. These include the methods for determining the age of events in earth history, issues surrounding the origin of life, the process of evolution, determining the mode of life for long extinct animals, and the debate over mass extinctions.

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