Life will or will not be discovered by the Webb Observatory

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Summary

Overview: The term paper is a chance for you to bring the key points you learned in the course together into one scientific argument. You will need to draw on learning materials specifically from this course (readings, videos, etc.), as well as external materials to complete this paper. You will be graded on your ability to put evidence together into a logical scientific argument. 

Instructions: 

Present a scientific argument based on whether you believe that life will or will not be discovered by the Webb Observatory (or any other ongoing missions, such as Perseverance). 

Your argument must: 

  1. be formatted with the following sections, using these exact headers; 
  2. Include answers to the corresponding prompts (below).  

Section Headers (required): 

  1. Introduction  
  2. The Mission I Think is Most Likely to Find Extraterrestrial Life and Why  
  3. The Most Promising Types of Extraterrestrial Life to be Found by the Mission 
  4. The Location Explored by the Mission and Evidence that That Location Could Harbour Life 
  5. Conclusion 
  6. References 

Section Prompts: 

  1. Introduction 
    1. n/a 
           
  2. The Mission I Think is Most Likely to Find Extraterrestrial Life and Why
    1. The specifics of the mission (e.g. Webb Observatory or Perseverence) that are underway for the search for extraterrestrial life.  
    1. What are they looking for?  
    1. What is the technology they use?  
    1. Why is this unique to the mission? What have they found thus far? 
        

Section 2 must include:  

  • at least one appropriate image that illustrates the ideas in this section  
  • a minimum of 2 references to course content (video, reading, etc.). See below for further instructions and samples. 
  • The Most Promising Types of Extraterrestrial Life to be Found by the Mission 
    • What types of life forms are most likely to be found first and what types of evidence we should look for to find these life forms. 

Section 3 must include:  

  • at least one appropriate image that illustrates the ideas in this section  
  • a minimum of 1 reference to course content (video, reading, etc.). See below for further instructions and samples.      
  • The Location Explored by the Mission and Evidence that That Location Could Harbour Life
    • The types of locations where these life forms may exist and how the life forms are biologically well suited for those environments. 

 Section 4 must include:  

  • at least one appropriate image that illustrates the ideas in this section  
  • a minimum of 1 reference to course content (video, reading, etc.). See below for further instructions and samples.      

Conclusion 

  • n/a 

References 

  • n/a 

*Samples of how to referencing course materials below 


Sample References 

Video Lecture (Instructor) 
In text: According to Asbell-Clarke (year, *timestamp), the search for life beyond Earth has been an important focus of scientific research (Life in the Universe, Module 6). 

*include the timestamp for the information you’re referencing in the video (e.g.  1:36-2:14) 

Reference Page: Asbell-Clarke, J. (Year). Module [#] Lecture Video. Life in the Universe. 

Course Video (not Instructor) 

In text: According to Seager (2013, *timestamp) the ongoing search for alien life is accelerating (Life in the Universe, Module 6). 

Reference Page: Seager, S. (2013). A Real Search for Alien Life. Module [#], Life in the Universe. 
 

Course Reading 

In text: According to Guntupalli (2022), the habitable zone is defined as the region around a star where conditions are just right for liquid water to exist on a planet’s surface (Life in the Universe, Module 4) 

Reference Page: Guntupalli, S. (2022). What is the Habitable Zone? The Planetary Society.
https://www.planetary.org/articles/what-is-the-habitable-zone 

You are expected to use information you have learned on the course to EXPAND upon the information from the videos and discussions. Cutting and pasting from the Internet, or simple re-writes of what is on wikipedia or one web site does not constitute a term paper. You must demonstrate your OWN learning of the material in the course. This will be strictly enforced. 

Submit your Term Paper here.

ASTR 1010: Life in the Universe