MOUNT VERNON — Cornell College will offer two Chautauqua courses on Monday mornings in March and April: “Frontiers of Astronomy: Dark Energies and Odd Solar Systems” will be held in March, and “The Opening of the Culture Wars I and II – Ages of Rebellion 1920s and 1960s” in April.
The Chautauqua program is open to adults of all ages and backgrounds and meets from 9 a.m. to noon in Hedges Conference Room, The Commons. The cost for each four-week program is $30, and registrations must be received the Wednesday prior to the beginning of each course. Lunch is available in student dining for $5.25 per person. Free parking is available with a permit from the Office of Academic Affairs. Call (319) 895-4119 to register.
On the first four Mondays in March Physics Professor Lyle Lichty will investigate recent advances in cosmology and astronomy, including the fact that scientists have finally accepted that we don’t know what 95 percent of the universe is. He will cover topics including the big bang, cosmic inflation, the expansion and geometry of the universe, gravitation, star deaths and the ultimate fate of the universe. He will also explore the status of extrasolar planet research and the future missions that will greatly improve our ability to detect planets outside our solar system.
In April The Rev. Richard Thomas, professor emeritus of history, will investigate two post-war time periods when American youth struggled with the onslaught of prosperity, technological changes and challenges to the dominant value systems. He will explore the 1920s and 1960s, comparing and contrasting the rebellions of these decades and considering their rise and fall as well as their lasting implications.