14. Smaller members of the solar system
14.1 Jupiter's moons
14.1.1 Io characteristics
14.1.2 Europa characteristics
14.1.3 Ganymede, Callisto, trend in properties with distance from Jupiter
14.2 Outer planet moons
14.2.1 Titan unique characteristics
14.2.2 Triton unique characteristics
14.2.3 Composition of smaller moons
14.3 How rings are formed
14.4 Pluto
14.4.1 How it was discovered
14.4.2 Relation of Pluto to system of small icy objects in outer solar system
14.5 Solar system debris
14.5.1 Four major types (list)
14.5.2 Asteroids
14.5.2.1 Why they didn't form into a planet
14.5.2.2 What they are made of
14.5.3 Meteors - where they come from, what they are made of
14.5.4 Comets
14.5.4.1 How they are different from asteroids
14.5.4.2 Where they come from, how they get into the inner solar system
14.5.5 Kuiper Belt - what it is
15. The Earth
15.1 Interior of Earth
15.1.1 Why it has a core, how we know the core is molten
15.1.2 Layers of the earth, their basic characteristics
15.1.3 Plate tectonics, what they are, how they work
15.1.4 What produces the magnetic field of the earth?
15.2 Earth's atmosphere
15.2.1 Where did it come from
15.2.2 How has life affected it
15.3 Long term climate
15.3.1 Size of variations in output of the sun
15.3.2 Solar cycle and climate
15.3.3 How we measure temperature for millions of years ago
15.3.4 Greenhouse effects and climate changes
15.3.5 Causes and effects of changes orbital geometry and tilt affecting the severity of the seasons
15.3.6 Other effects on the climate
15.4 Habitable zones
15.4.1 What is a "habitable zone"
15.4.2 List the most important conditions required to make life as we know it possible (11 of them)
16. Is life "out there"?
16.1 How life formed on Earth
16.1.1 Earliest forms of life
16.1.1.1 When did life first appear (that we have evidence for)
16.1.1.2 What form was the earliest life we know about?
16.1.1.3 What are the four key steps in getting to early life as we know it?
16.1.1.4 What role do errors in making copies play in forming life?
16.2 Life on Mars
16.2.1 Have we found evidence for life on Mars?
16.2.2 Why will we continue to look for it?
16.3 Advanced life
16.3.1 How long did take to get to cells without nuclei to cells with nuclei?
16.3.2 What was the Cambrian Explosion? How long from cells with nuclei to it?
16.3.3 How does sex assist in the development of complex life forms?
16.4 Mass extinctions
16.4.1 What role does chaos play in asteroid bombardment of the earth?
16.4.2 How is destruction spread over the Earth after a large impact?
16.4.3 Have we seen anything similar to the events leading to mass extinction on other planets?
16.5 Emergence of intelligent life
16.5.1 What is convergent evolution?
16.5.2 What is the encephalization level?
16.5.3 How has the encephalization level of the most "brainy" animals changed over the history of life on earth
16.5.4 Can we expect a similar pattern wherever complex life exists?
16.6 Contacting other civilizations
16.6.1 Why it is difficult to visit others
16.6.2 The Drake Equation, what (if anything) it tells us
16.6.3 Why we look for signs of radio transmissions by other civilizations