eLearnAfrica
The Future of Life
FutureLearn
  • Start Date: 27 Sep, 2021
  • 3 weeks
  • Study Content: Videos


Explore the threats facing human civilisation on Earth and discover the possible ways that we could colonise other planets.

Course Fee: Free
Certificate Cost: See Fees and Eligibility
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Course Description

This course is made available through the eLearnAfrica and FutureLearn partnership.

Will humans become multi-planet species one day?


On this three-week course, Dr Louisa Preston reflects on everything you’ve learned throughout this ExpertTrack to answer the question, what does all this mean for human life in the future?


Take a trip back through cosmic evolution


The Big Bang. The origin of life. The development of intelligence. These are all key points of our evolution in a cosmic context and understanding these moments can help us to unlock the secrets of the universe.


You’ll start this course by examining where we came from evolutionarily and how this knowledge helps us to understand our place in the universe; how our past and present can help us to contemplate our future.


Go beyond Earth to build a space colony among the stars


As we make huge technological advances, it’s only natural that humankind would start to look outside our atmosphere towards the prospect of colonising other planets and moons.


This course will take you through some of the reasons and justifications for our move to other planets, considering both a partial migration and an entire switching of planets. You’ll then look at the practical considerations and steps required to move humankind to the moon, before taking the leap to create a strategy for colonising Mars.


Explore climate change and why space exploration is vital to civilisation’s survival


Human civilisation currently faces many threats such as climate change, disease, overpopulation, and even asteroids.


You’ll finish this course by looking at the challenges that humankind needs to overcome and the mistakes that have caused some of these threats.


Then you’ll have everything you need to consider what the future of life looks like? And is the colonisation of other worlds essential to the continued survival of humans?


This course is designed for anyone interested in the fundamentals of astrobiology, particularly the future of life on Earth and beyond.


It will be especially useful to university applicants looking to identify areas that they’d like to specialise in and STEM teachers looking to bring science to life for their students.


Certificate cost may vary. You will be redirected to the host page for cost and payment options.

FutureLearn

This university is part of the partnership between eLearnAfrica and FutureLearn.

This institution is available on eLearnAfrica through partnership with FutureLearn.

You may be able to download course materials after enrolling in this course. If not, all of the necessary course materials provided by the course instructor will be available on the provider's course page.
COLLABORATION POLICY

By enrolling in a course on or through eLearnAfrica, you are joining a special worldwide community of learners. The aspiration of eLearnAfrica is to provide anyone with an internet connection access to courses from the best universities and institutions in the world and to provide our learners the best educational experience internet technology enables. You are a part of the community that will help eLearnAfrica achieve this goal. eLearnAfrica depends upon your motivation to learn the material and to do so with honesty and academic integrity. In order to participate in eLearnAfrica, you must agree to the Honor Code below and any additional terms specific to a class.

ELEARNAFRICA HONOR CODE PLEDGE

By enrolling in a course, program, or degree hosted on the eLearnAfrica App or Site, I agree that I will:

  • Complete all tests and assignments on my own, unless collaboration on an assignment is explicitly permitted.

  • Maintain only one user account and not let anyone else use my username and/or password.

  • Not engage in any activity that would dishonestly improve my results, or improve or hurt the results of others.

  • Not post answers to problems that are being used to assess student performance.

  • Abide by any and all requirements of the eLearnAfrica Participants as may regard the expectations of civil or academic behavior or of community standards.

VIOLATIONS

If you are found in violation of the Terms and Conditions or Honor Code, you may be subject to one or more of the following actions:

  • Receiving a zero or no credit for an assignment;

  • Having any certificate earned in the course withheld or revoked;

  • Being unenrolled from a course, learning program or degree program; or

  • Termination of your use of the App and/or Site.

  • Additional actions may be taken at the sole discretion of eLearnAfrica and eLearnAfrica course providers. 

No refunds will be issued in the case of any corrective action for such violations.

Honor code violations will be determined at the sole discretion of eLearnAfrica, the Partners, or Members. You will be notified if a determination has been made that you have violated this honor code and you will be informed of the corresponding action to be taken as a result of the violation.

CHANGING THE HONOR CODE

Please note that we review and may make changes to this Honor Code from time to time. Any changes to this Honor Code will be effective immediately upon posting on this page, with an updated effective date. By accessing the App and/or Site after any changes have been made, you signify your agreement on a prospective basis to the modified Honor Code and any changes contained therein. Be sure to return to this page periodically to ensure familiarity with the most current version of this Honor Code.

Effective Date: September 22, 2016