Planet Earth: A History of Life

Mon., March 9-30, 2-4 p.m.

Time: 2-4 p.m.

Location: In person: Arcata

Cost: $70

With Melinda Bailey, & Mark Bailey, Science Educators

Learn about the fascinating story of planet Earth through geologic time. This is a golden age for paleontology, and amazing finds are deepening our collective knowledge of Earth’s past.

Four sessions will cover the four geologic eras, beginning with the formation of Earth and ending with the last ice age. Both geological and biological subjects will be integrated, including some of the latest findings.

The first session will cover the Paleozoic Era and introduce the earliest life forms, from stromatolites to the Cambrian explosion and beyond.

The second session will explore the evolution of trilobites, ammonites and vertebrates as they develop fins, move onto land and form limbs and other complex structures.

The third session will cover the Age of Dinosaurs and other highlights of the Mesozoic Era, including the breakup of Pangaea and major climatic events.

The final session will delve into the Cenozoic Era, which gave rise to modern birds and mammals.

All sessions will be held at the Natural History Museum of Cal Poly Humboldt and focus mostly on North America. Select fossils from the museum’s collection will be shown along with an escorted walk through time.

Mark and Melinda Bailey will team-teach the course, with Mark focusing on early Earth, geological processes and chemistry, and Melinda will focus on the evolution of life forms. Both will share some of their favorite fossils and stories locked up in the rocks.

Curriculum will be drawn from abundant sources, and each session will include a lecture with slides and hands-on specimens.

Class #: 23954

Registration opens for OLLI members on Feb. 3. Non-members may register starting Feb. 9.

Melinda Bailey

Retired Science Teacher
Assistant Manager of the NHM
California Naturalist

For Melinda Bailey, working at the Natural History Museum has been an amazing experience. It combines so much of what she enjoys doing such as educating others about our natural world, working with amazing specimens, and helping her community.

She loves working with motivated college students and seeing young kids eager to learn about the world.

Some of her favorite hobbies are being a nature nerd, gardening, hiking, bird watching, and playing with her indoor cats.