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Life is the defining feature of our planet. In BIOL 10140 Life on Earth, we will consider how life arose and evolved into the myriad of forms it takes today. We will introduce the principles of evolution and explore the tree of life, highlighting the major evolutionary advances that have enabled organisms to exploit every habitat on Earth. The major living groups of microbes, plants and animals will be presented and the key features of their biology will be discussed and illustrated. A wide range of examples will be given, spanning microbial parasites, plants, fungi, jellyfish and corals, worms, insects, crustaceans, fish, birds, mammals. We will examine how they feed, survive and reproduce, and, importantly, how they impact our daily lives.