Global Climate

Climate is perhaps the single most important and pervasive factor controlling global ecosystems and human well-being. This interdisciplinary course examines global climate from a historical perspective, beginning with the formation of the solar system and continuing through geologic time to the present. Topics include the development of the atmosphere; the workings of the global heat engine of atmosphere, oceans and continents; evidence for past climate change; causes of global climate change; the effects of climate change on human evolution; and the effects of human evolution on the global climate system. This is a studio lab course. Major credit restricted. Also offered as ENVS 112 and GEOL 112.