Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/extinctions-past-present-and-future
Have you ever wondered about the great disappearances that have shaped life on Earth? Coursera’s ‘Extinctions: Past, Present, & Future’ course offers a fascinating deep dive into these pivotal moments in our planet’s history. Taught with engaging demonstrations and accessible language, this course is a must-take for anyone curious about the forces that have sculpted life as we know it.
The course artfully begins by tracing humanity’s growing awareness of extinction events, providing a historical context for our understanding. From there, it plunges into the dramatic mass extinctions of the pre-human past. You’ll learn about the ‘Big Five’ – the cataclysmic events that wiped out vast swathes of life, and importantly, how these ancient tragedies paved the way for new evolutionary paths. The syllabus then smoothly transitions to extinctions closer to our own time, covering the Pleistocene Epoch and the Late Holocene, bringing the narrative right up to the present day.
What truly sets this course apart is its exploration of the ongoing mass extinction event we are currently experiencing. It doesn’t shy away from the implications of human activity on biodiversity and offers a sobering, yet crucial, look at what the future might hold. The inclusion of portable handouts, lively demonstrations, and knowledge-enhancing quizzes ensures that the learning is both informative and enjoyable, regardless of your prior knowledge. Whether you’re a budding paleontologist or simply a concerned global citizen, this course provides invaluable insights into the fragility and resilience of life on Earth.
Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/extinctions-past-present-and-future