Biogeochemistry of Sulfur
MIT OpenCourseWare offers this seminar-style course on sulfur biogeochemistry, built around primary research literature rather than a textbook. Students read and discuss papers on sulfur cycling in oceans, sediments, and early Earth environments, connecting the element's chemistry to microbial metabolism, mineral formation, and astrobiology questions about detecting life on other planets. Sessions work through topics such as isotope fractionation, sulfate-reducing bacteria, and the role of sulfur in ancient atmospheres, with students expected to critically evaluate methods and conclusions in the literature rather than absorb settled facts. The course includes a syllabus, weekly reading assignments, and discussion materials from MIT's Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, aimed at advanced undergraduates and graduate students already comfortable with geochemistry fundamentals. Materials are freely available under a Creative Commons license, with no certificate offered.