5 Mondays, Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26 and Nov. 2.

7:00-8:30pm

TUITION: $30 before Sept.28, $35 after

Since before recorded history humans have tried to explain the universe and our place in it. Today we know that the universe began with the Big Bang 13.8 billion years ago, and about 9 billion years later, the solar system formed from giant clouds of interstellar dust. Not long afterwards life emerged on the Earth and evolved to make the world we see today.

But there is still much that we don’t know:

What really happened during the very earliest moments of the universe?

What are black holes, dark matter, and dark energy?

Does life, especially intelligent life, exist elsewhere in the universe?

And, as long as we’re asking the big questions, are there other universes?

This course begins with a survey of ancient cosmologies followed by a look into modern technologies, such as giant telescopes measuring everything from light to radio to gravity waves, that have brought us to our present understanding of the universe. Then, starting with the Big Bang, we will explore how the universe evolved, giving rise to galaxies, stars, planets and, ultimately, to life. We will also examine mysteries that currently elude scientists including the special circumstances that make our universe suitable for life. The course ends by peering into the far future to see what it holds for life and the universe we know.

NOTE: No previous encounters with fancy math or physics are required. Only curiosity.

After earning his Ph.D. in Space Science at Rice University, David Young went on to pursue a career in teaching and research, leading international teams of scientists and engineers developing experiments for NASA and the European Space Agency. His teams have built instruments used to explore the magnetospheres and atmospheres of Saturn and it’s moons, the dynamics of cometary comas, and the interaction of Earth’s magnetic field with the solar wind. Prior to retiring as a Director for Research and Development at Southwest Research Institute, David was a Scientific Staff Member at Los Alamos National Laboratory and held professorships in space science at the University of Bern, Switzerland and the University of Michigan. He is the author or co-author of over 200 scientific publications and a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union. David has previously taught courses on climate change, cosmology, and science and religion at the SoL Center.

Register here.

***When registering you will need to include your email address, as we will send the Zoom link to you along with a password to attend the discussion. Registrations are required the Monday before the Wednesday conversation.