Foundations of Environmental Science: Measuring and monitoring our planet

Understanding Earth requires careful measurement. This course teaches you how scientists observe all five Earth systems—solid ground, air, life, water, and ice—and what those observations actually tell us.

You'll learn to evaluate measurement quality and reliability, compare different observation techniques (each with tradeoffs), and interpret earth observations—from satellite data to ground sensors. The curriculum emphasizes critical judgment: not all data is equally trustworthy, and knowing the difference between a precise measurement and a meaningful one matters.

Designed for anyone curious about how climate science and environmental monitoring actually work. A beginner course treating measurement as the foundation of all environmental understanding.