WesMaps - Wesleyan University Catalog 2007-2008       Summer Session       Winter Session       Home       Archive       Search
CS92PROD
Light and Life: Vision, Photosynthesis, DNA, and Melanoma
MB&B 109
Fall 2007 not offered

Light is the basis for many important processes on Earth, and this course is designed to introduce students to many of these fundamental processes. The first third of the course will focus on the nature of light and its interaction with matter. We will then turn to the process of vision and how light is detected by humans and animals. The second third will focus on light as an important energy source. We will discuss the natural process of photosynthesis and the role it plays in the global carbon cycle. The role that sunlight plays in the phenomenon of global warming will also be explored. We will also discuss the artificial capture and harnessing of light energy, as in solar energy. The last part of the course will explore how light interacts with humans directly. Topics to be discussed include how light affects our moods and seasonal affective disorder and the role of light in the onset of melanoma and other UV-light-related health problems. This course provides an introduction to the importance of light in the living world for basic biological processes.

Essential Capabilities: None
Credit: 1 Gen Ed Area Dept: NSM MB&B
Course Format: LectureGrading Mode: Graded
Level: UGRD Prerequisites: None
Fulfills a Major Requirement for: (ENVS)

Last Updated on MAR-29-2024
Contact wesmaps@wesleyan.edu to submit comments or suggestions. Please include a url, course title, faculty name or other page reference in your email ? Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, 06459