Sample Resources
The following are examples of the high-quality, exciting resources that are a part of Seminars on Science. Most of them, from essays to videos, have been written and produced specifically for this course. All students receive a copy of their course resources on CD-ROM for use not only during the course itself, but also as a classroom resource.
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Sample Essay - Week 1: How Did the Oceans Form?
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Dr. Davies looks back over billions of years at the formation of our planet. As the planet formed and slowly cooled, the water molecules that were part of the building blocks of the planet slowly and violently made their way to a surface that could support water in a liquid state. By 4.2 billion years ago, water covered most of the Earth's surface and has shaped its evolution ever since.
Read the essay... |
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Sample Video - Week 4: How Do Scientists Study Climate Change? (3:42)
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Using state-of-the-art technology, a team of scientists attempts to make accurate predictions of climate change over the next century. Computer models explore what forces would cause changes in the ocean's currents. Will melting ice caps cause fresh-water to alter Atlantic circulation? What were ocean currents like 100 years ago, and why have changes occurred since?
Watch the video... |
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Sample Interactive - Week 2: Find the Deep Sea Vent
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This interactive game allows you to play captain on a ship that is testing ocean temperatures to locate deep sea vents, cracks in the Earth's crust that let in heat from the molten mantle below. Take temperature readings, narrow your search corridor, and ultimately decide where to lower your submersible to get a closer look. But be cautious—sometimes what looks like a vent is really a plume of warmer water that has been carried away from the vent by currents.
Explore the interactive... |
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