Newly Added Classes   

The Ahart Herbarium at Chico State is the most complete repository of plant specimens from Northern California, containing more than 107,000 dried and mounted plant specimens. This guided visit will show you how herbariums work, what they do, and why they are an important source of information for scientific research.

Our invaluable national parks have been called "America's best idea: because they preserve scenic wonders, protect endangered species, and interpret the history and diverse cultures of the nation. In 1916 Congress created the National Park Service (NPS) to protect these important resources. Mistakes have been made over the years, but the NPS has mostly done admirable work. This will be the emphasis of this course, but we also need to talk about the crisis the parks face in the current political climate. To save our parks, we need to educate ourselves.

Six Exciting Lectures: Ansel Adams in the West, Rodeo Photography, 8 Great Female Photographers, Hemingway: A Life In Pictures, 50 Years of Rolling Stone Magazine, and Must Love Dogs.

Our exploration of the Earth, Solar System, and Universe continues. As always, we will discuss ongoing discoveries in astronomy, planetary sciences, and Earth sciences. Information will be conveyed using short videos, awesome photos, understandable/fun graphics, and class discussions. We will have several guest speakers from the University of Arizona's Astronomy, Planetary Sciences, and Geosciences Departments. Science Fiction Theatre continues, with short clips highlighting a century of sci fi movies and TV shows. And of course, there will be Geo-feature of the Week, What's for Launch?, and Books of the Week. Please join us for this continuing journey of discovery and adventure. Being in an earlier Astronomy/Geosciences class is neither a prerequisite nor necessary to understand and enjoy this class.

Join Amy Dolan from the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation to learn about bumble bee biology and conservation, and how community science volunteers across the US are helping to map and protect these important native pollinators.

No previous Tai Chi experience is necessary. All the movements are slow and gentle, and no martial arts applications will be taught or practiced in this study group. These methods may help lessen body pain, correct spinal misalignment, cultivate a sense of internal energy, and rest the mind. Participants can wear comfortable roomy or stretchy clothing and some soft tai chi shoes or socks to wear on their feet.

The University Farm is a "living laboratory" for agricultural education, literacy, and research in Northern California. Join us for a guided tour showcasing our fields, labs, and hands-on learning spaces, including the new Agricultural Education Center and Jay Gilbert Farm Store. This state-of-the-art facility features modern classrooms, collaboration areas, and a student-run retail space with farm-produced goods. Explore how the farm supports experiential learning, community engagement, and the next generation of leaders in sustainable agriculture.

This all-new sequel to The Magic of Film Scores shifts the spotlight from the score to the songs, dance and lyrical storytelling that gave film musicals their unforgettable sparkle. From the nimble tread of the feet of Fred Astaire to the hip hop history of Hamilton, we'll journey through nearly a century of toe-tapping, heartstring-pulling movie magic. Explore the evolution of musicals on screen, from the glamour of MGM to bold, socially conscious stories. We'll also trace rock's rise in cinema, including a session on The Beatles films, spotlight pop and jukebox musicals of the 21st century, and dedicate a session to jazz in biographical and noir-inspired films.

Space junk, in the past consisting primarily of old, defunct satellites and booster rockets, is becoming increasingly dominated by small spacecraft inserted into low orbit by Elon Musk's Starlink. Each launch inserts about 40 or more individual satellites into orbit, but now, one or two of these units is deorbiting every day! While they present minimal safety hazard to us, they are cluttering the low-orbit region above us and could make this region unusable (astronomers do not like them at all). We will investigate this growing problem.

This learning through conversation seminar will discuss Never Let Me Go, a novel by Nobel Prize-winning author Kazuo Ishiguro. We meet an unusual group of children in an English boarding school, and follow them into young adulthood. Ishiguro slowly reveals to us how unusual these children are. In the process we visit several fundamental issues about what it means to be human, especially in the context of contemporary medical ethics.

Sports and politics have always been connected, even when athletes and fans try to claim they're separate. From the original Olympics to Jesse Owens competing in Nazi Germany in 1936, to Muhammad Ali's resistance to the Vietnam War draft, the two have been intertwined – whether we like it or not. This class explores the historical relationship between sports and political movements, as well as how politics has shaped the world of sports. We'll examine how teams, leagues, and athletes have navigated race, gender, laws, and nationalism in a seminar setting that encourages discussion and participation.

Towering above the desert sands for over 4,000 years, Egypt's pyramids remain some of the most iconic and enduring symbols of human ingenuity. In this class, we'll explore the story behind these massive monuments from the earliest experiments in stone architecture to the construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Whether you're fascinated by ancient engineering, intrigued by pharaohs and the afterlife, or just want to better understand one of the world's greatest architectural traditions, this class offers a window into a civilization that quite literally moved mountains.

The Weimar Republic (1918-1933) was an experiment in democracy between the Second and Third Reichs. It was conceived at the end of World War I, plagued by an abortive German revolution, hyperinflation, the Great Depression, and the growing cloud of Nazism. It was a social (see Broadway's Cabaret), artistic (the Bauhaus, German Expressionism [Metropolis, The Cabinet of Dr Caligari and more in cinema; Max Beckman, George Grosz and more in painting], and more) and political (socialists, communists, and Nazis being the major players) era of experimentation. We'll look at all of that, including its dreadful end with the Enabling Act of 1933. Draw parallels at your own risk.

There are more than two billion Muslims in the world and about 50 countries where Islam is the majority religion. We will cover the history of Islam from its birth through the present day as one of the largest world religions. We will discover Islam as both a way of life and a religion, be introduced to its major texts, and explore the influence of geography and cultural diversity in how these texts are applied.

In this class we will look at what research in neuroscience is teaching us about how the brain and mind work. We will also learn about using that knowledge to provide better care for patients. The role of AI, brain imaging, immunology, and genetics will be included. Selected topics on health, medicine and biotechnology may also be discussed.