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How does the earth system work, and how have natural cycles developed over time and space? This course is meant to introduce the students to planet Earth and its resources, as viewed from a system’s perspective, as a guiding analogy for sustainable systems. This course will present the evolution of Earth’s four spheres (biosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere) over 4.5 billion years. These developments will highlight the importance of the carbon, nutrient, and water cycles for life on our planet. This section will follow an interdisciplinary look at the causes and potential impacts of natural changes of the Earth System. It will relate physical, chemical and biological cycles from a descriptive and a quantitative perspective. The course will also discuss current Earth System Models, their capabilities, and limitations.