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E-Seminar: Astrobiology & Natural Sciences: Finding Life On Other Planets – Tutorial With Dr Sarah Gretton, Society For Natural Sciences

July 3 @ 16:15 – 17:00

In this live interactive Astrobiology/Natural Sciences tutorial, we will be joined by Dr Sarah Gretton, Associate Professor, Natural Sciences (Life and Physical Sciences) Programme Director and Admissions Tutor at the University of Leicester. In this session, Sarah represents the Society for Natural Sciences, a national learned society that promotes interdisciplinary science education and research.

This live tutorial will follow an introductory lecture on the Drake Equation (available below), which is used to estimate the number of communicative extra-terrestrials in our galaxy. In the tutorial students will consider each of the terms of the equation evaluating astronomical, biological, and psychological/sociological factors to arrive at the probability of the number of active technically advanced civilizations in the Milky Way Galaxy.

A-level, BTEC, T-level and IB links to: Physics (gravity, particles), Biology (proteins, nucleic acids), Chemistry (redox reactions, electronegativity)

The full context/introduction to this live and interactive discussion is provided in the recorded resource below. This recording can be watched as a class activity or independently in preparation for the activity on 4th July.

Suitable for: Year 12 & 13 students, and equivalent, studying Science, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Maths, Earth Sciences.

Preparation or Pre-Reading: Students are asked to watch the above recording and consider some of the key issues, questions and techniques that are introduced.

Banner caption: Montage of micro-fabricated devices for culturing cells in vitro.