Academic Information

The following criteria will be considered for course admission:

1) Student must be in good academic standing at his/her home University or Institution

2) Student must be physically fit for diving, whitewater rafting, horseback riding, etc.

Credits Received

This course offers 3 semester credits, which are transferable to the home University of the participating students.  This course is accredited by various American Universities.  Contact Professor Gamow for more details: Gamow@spot.colorado.edu

Course Outline: Biophysics of Extreme Environments

Catalog Description: Course examines the physiological change encountered by animals and people in extreme environments. These environments cause changes in the body's inability to cope with low oxygen and large differences involving respiration, blood circulation, and oxygen intake.

Lecture Topics

I. Toward Understanding the Physical Universe: These lectures will take the student through a brief journey from the creation of the universe (Big Bang Theory!) to the origin of the Earth and a review of the changes that occurred in both geology and biology during these past 4.5 billion years. This history is necessary if the students wish to understand the origin of the various extreme environments we will study. The goal of these lectures will be to try to understand why the Earth is not only unique in our solar system, but probably unique in our universe. (4 hours)

II. Bioenergetics: A brief review of the chemistry of aerobic and anaerobic metabolism. Special emphasis will be placed on the importance of the various sizes and shapes of plants and animals. We will discuss the famous hummingbird to elephant curve derived in terms of their metabolic rates. The goal of this lecture will be to teach students to understand the "nuts and bolts" of metabolism, as well as why all extreme environments are not hostile to all plants and animals. (8 hours)

III. High Altitude Physiology: Students will learn the relationship between partial pressure of a gas (O2) compared to its percentage value, and then have a short discussion of the various gas laws. We will cover a brief review of moving air (respiration) and moving blood (circulation), and have a detailed discussion of altitude acclimatization and the new growing field of mountain medicine (AMS, HACE, HAPE). Lectures will touch on the advantage of living at altitude to gain sea level athletic performance. (8 hours)

IV. Underwater Diving Physiology: A rather extensive historical review will be covered of diving from Alexander the Great to present day dives and submersibles. A detailed discussion will follow of the types of adaptations found in diving mammals, diving birds, and diving snakes and turtles. (8 hours)

V. Desert Physiology: We will have a brief discussion describing various desert animals such as the kangaroos, the kangaroo rat, and the various types of desert birds, in terms of how they deal with high temperatures and virtually no water. (4 hours)

VI. Eastern vs. Western World View in Science and Technology: This will be an optional two-hour lecture comparing and contrasting the Western reductionist world view with the Eastern holistic world view.  (2 hours)

Sections I, II, III, IV, V, and VI consist of 34 lecture hours. FLD (field studies) will certainly be in excess of 25 hours in the underwater marine environment, the tropical mountain environment, and the rain forest environment. The FLD will consist of field trips to the Reefs of Utila, to the mountains of Copán and Pico Bonito, and to the rain forests and jungles of Olancho.

Required Text:

-Life at the Extremes by Francis Ashcroft published by University of California

-Selected papers provided by Instructor.

 Professor Gamow Entertains a Friend for Dinner