Is the passage of time an illusion? Space and time might seem like some of the most fundamental, absolute features of the universe. But the science of the twentieth century reveals a lot about what space and time are truly like--a question that once could only be blindly speculated about by philosophers--and what we have found is that space and time are not as simple as they first seem. We will learn the basic math behind special relativity, and understand seeming paradoxes by replacing the concepts of "space" and "time" with one unified concept of spacetime. Next, we will discuss mysterious implications from quantum mechanics that seem to refute locality in space and causality in time. In between we may talk about general relativity, black holes, wormholes, non-Euclidean geometry, Zeno's paradox, and philosophy. The math we will include is not so advanced, but if you aren't comfortable with algebra, the Pythagorean Theorem, and sines and cosines, you will have to work very hard to understand the material in this class. We invite students with an urge to explore strange and mind-bending ideas to join us for a journey into space and time!

Since the discovery of nuclear fission, a great source of power is in our hands. Rather than releasing energy stored from the sun, such as burning dead plants, nuclear fission unleashes vast amounts of energy stored within the atomic nucleus. This class will present the story of our discovery of this great power and the dramatic rush to create the unprecedentedly destructive atomic bomb; the peaceful uses of nuclear energy as an effective power source that does not emit carbon dioxide, and discuss innovative reactor designs to make nuclear energy safer and more efficient. So come for a journey through fascinating science, history, and possible visions for our energy future.