Through many exceptionally unlikely coincidences, Planet Earth exists in the perfect location for life to flourish. Our civilization is the culmination of over 3.5 billion years of evolution, and we now have the power to change Earth’s systems. This course will explore the reasons why Earth is the perfect planet for life to exist on, and how narrow the range of habitable conditions can be, and how life came to be. It will also discuss how our species evolved, and how the geology of Earth has helped and hindered the growth of civilisations. In particular, this course will cover water, energy and mining resources; how they are formed, how we utilize these resources, and how fragile they are, with an emphasis on sustainable utilization of these resources for the future.