"Kosmos" is the Ancient Greek word for the Universe. Over the past 500 years or so, science has changed our world and the way we see the universe. Many scientific discoveries determined how chemistry, geology, biology, and geography all interacted. Galileo, Copernicus, Hutton, Humboldt and Darwin discovered much of what we will learn about, though they were often forbidden to write about the Universe in a rational way because the Biblical creation story was the only acceptable story. This Scientific Revolution resulted in today’s civilization with its amazing technology and medical advances.
The course will tell the story of the discovery of Kosmos. It will be a fast paced story, using maps, images, and videos, of the people who participated in this progress and their discoveries. There will be time to talk in class. It is a course that will be exciting and fulfilling, even Spiritual at times, and fun! We will all remind ourselves of our progress as humans on planet Earth. If there is time, we will talk about Terroir, the soil where mycorrhizae and Truffles are part of the Kosmos too.
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Instructor: Fred Bowers
Fred is a Ph.D. Forest Soil Scientist and Geomorphologist. He has taught many courses at Senior College about geology and geography and is a member of the Senior College Curriculum Committee. His interests span natural science and history. He was chair of the City of Belfast Climate Crisis Committee as it developed a Climate Action Plan. Before he came to Belfast in 2017, he worked for years as a Research Soil Scientist for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
Photo credit: NASA
