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BSc International Management with American Business Studies / Course details

Year of entry: 2021

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Course unit details:
Are We Alone? The Search for Extraterrestrial Life

Unit code	UCIL20211
Credit rating	10
Unit level	Level 2
Teaching period(s)	Semester 1
Offered by	Department of Physics & Astronomy
Available as a free choice unit?	Yes

Overview

"Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying!" - Arthur C. Clarke

The question of whether we are alone in the Universe is one of the most fundamental that humankind can ask. If we are truly alone, does this mean that we are in some way special? If there are other civilisations out there, do they look and think like us? Would we be able to recognise their signatures and communicate with them?

This unit introduces the astrophysical, biological and social factors that influence the probability of the emergence of long-lived, intelligent, technical civilisations. It explores the signatures that might reveal advanced civilisations and the new instruments currently under development that will enable future searches.

If we are not alone, we consider dissemination strategies, legal issues associated with first "contact", the construction of interstellar messages, and the implications for society and culture in terms of global politics, the world economy, theology, art, literature and science. The unit provides a comprehensive overview of most recent developments on the search for life and intelligent civilisations, elsewhere in the Universe. It also discusses issues such as the sustainability of humankind and our own possible futures. Are the challenges we face the same that all long-lived technical civilisations must also face and overcome?

The unit is delivered online with one face-to-face session in week 7.

Pre/co-requisites

UCIL units are designed to be accessible to undergraduate students from all disciplines.

UCIL units are credit-bearing and it is not possible to audit UCIL units or take them for additional/extra credits. You must enrol following the standard procedure for your School when adding units outside of your home School.

If you are not sure if you are able to enrol on UCIL units you should contact your School Undergraduate office. You may wish to contact your programme director if your programme does not currently allow you to take a UCIL unit.

You can also contact the UCIL office if you have any questions.

Aims

This unit considers one of the most fundamental questions humankind can ask - are we alone?

The scope of the unit is very broad, addressing all aspects of the topic, including the social impact that discovery of extraterrestrial life might have. The unit will also enable you to make well-informed contributions to the field from your own area of expertise.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of the unit you will be able to:

Describe and explain the contributions of scientific, historical, social and cultural perspectives to current understanding of the topic and its impact

Defend well-argued contributions to interdisciplinary group discussions

Collaborate within a team to exchange and analyse different viewpoints

Generate innovative ideas about potential future directions for SETI, drawing from your own disciplinary perspective

Write well-structured summaries, using evidence-based examples to support your case

Syllabus

The history of the SETI
Detecting the 'signatures' of advanced technical civilisations
The future of humankind and the challenges we face
How long is a technical civilisation sustainable?
Our own origins, including the creation of the Universe, galaxies, stars and planets
The nature of life and how it may have first arisen on Earth
How does complex life arise and how rare is it likely to be?
Life elsewhere in the Universe where and how to search
SETI - how it has shaped our social and cultural heritage
First contact and how we might communicate with other civilisations
The potential impact of detection of extraterrestrial life on society and culture and on how we understand ourselves and our role in the Universe

Teaching and learning methods

The unit includes contributions from leading researchers located in Manchester and around the world.

The unit is delivered entirely via Blackboard with one face-to-face session in week 7. The unit is made up of 10 x online modules which will be released at intervals.

The unit is highly interactive and adopts a blend of approaches including video inputs and case studies.

Employability skills

Analytical skills: Essay and group work require research and analysis of information.
Group/team working: Group work element in assessment.
Innovation/creativity
Leadership
Project management
Oral communication
Problem solving
Research
Written communication

Assessment methods

Method	Weight
Other	20%
Written assignment (inc essay)	40%
Report	40%

Feedback methods

Formative feedback will be provided by tutors on the online group work
Summative assessment will be provided through peer-assessment of the group work
Formative feedback will be provided on a draft of the essay before submission

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Lectures	15
Seminars	10

Independent study hours
Independent study	75

Teaching staff

Staff member	Role
Michael Garrett	Unit coordinator
Timothy O'Brien	Unit coordinator
Matthew Cobb	Unit coordinator
William Macauley	Unit coordinator

Additional notes