This masterclass uses the context of studying planet Earth and its inhabitants in a day-long intensive programme designed to support A-level students in their curriculum studies. 

The topics covered during the day include:

How and why we use satellites to study our planet,  how the conditions on Earth changed over the millennia and how this has affected life on the planet, the potential for life on other planets, adaptations of life and analysis of climate trends with predictions of the future of our climate.

• Is there life out there? – are other planets harbouring new life forms?

• Pathways of evolution – how can life adapt to a changing environment?

• Migration – how living organisms can respond to a changing environment

• Earth future – analysing recent climate trends and predicting the future of our climate

These are used to discuss curriculum topics including:

• Ecosystems – observing changes to the biotic and abiotic environment

• Human impact on the environment

• Climate change

• Evolution – how changes to the abiotic environment can lead to speciation

• How science works – how a question can be investigated scientifically and theories formulated

• DNA structure & replication

• Protein synthesis

• Biological molecules

• Microbiology

• Membranes and transport

• Extremophiles

• Thermoregulation

• Behaviour