Science & Math   

The Ahart Herbarium at Chico State is the most complete repository of plant specimens from Northern California, containing more than 125,000 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.

This will be an opportunity to tour the Chico State greenhouse and see how it functions, what it does, and the different habitats that it supports to grow plants from many parts of the world. You'll also see some unique plants. This will be a walking tour lasting about 1 to 2 hours at the greenhouse and surrounding gardens.

Substance use disorders are often confusing and frustrating for family, friends, and communities. Learn about the science of addiction, the treatment realities, and the psychopharmacology of common drugs in the North State. This presentation will leave your head spinning with data and brain scans that explain what we know about this complex disease of the brain.

This class is for both beginning and experienced birders. Through observation and the use of your binoculars, field guides, and birding apps, class participants learn to identify birds in their natural habitat. We will meet once a month at different birding locations for field trips that may involve up to 2 miles of walking.

This class is for students who have taken the "Birding in the Chico Area" class more than once. We will not cover birding basics and will spend more time in the field. We will meet once a month at different locations for field trips that may involve 2-3 miles of walking.

The North State is home to rich, diverse public lands: refuges, parks, forests, and reserves. Your public lands provide vital wildlife habitat and protect our natural resources. On this field trip, we'll explore Gray Lodge with guidance from a California Department of Fish and Wildlife naturalist and enjoy an easy 2-mile nature walk on level paths. We will identify birds, enjoy stunning views of the Sutter Buttes, and learn about this haven for over 300 species of wildlife. Come explore your public lands with us!

California's temperate climate allows an amazing array of plants to be grown locally. Edible gardens, pollinator gardens, native gardens, contemplative gardens, and demonstration gardens are some of the many varieties to tour. Inspired by the successful model of the "Arts & Eats" OLLI class, "Garden Gourmands" will focus on touring the art of garden landscapes combined with eating locally. Join Master Gardeners as we explore different area gardens followed by a no-host lunch at various local eateries to enjoy the bounty of Butte County.

Join us for a half-day adventure to Clotilde Merlo Park in Stirling City. This privately owned garden park with an abundance of plants, trees, and pollinating insects along with a fish-filled pond, is a lovely 20-acre gem situated at 3500' elevation. Bronze statues dot the landscape with numerous references to the historic activities in and around Stirling City. Opportunities for photos abound and depending on the weather, we may see the start of fall colors. After touring the Park, we will enjoy our bring-your-own picnic lunches.

Earth's history is filled with moments of upheaval, uncertainty, and transformation. In this study group, we will explore four geological stories that reveal how our dynamic planet has shaped climate, civilizations, and even human origins. From sudden global darkness to the near-collapse of ancient societies, from a restless supervolcano to the deep forces that helped create us, each session blends science, history, and discovery to uncover how we know what we know and what remains uncertain.

Join us for history and a hike. We will be treated to viewing the Jonesville Hotel with a local historian and resident. We will then hike in the meadows near the creek in Jonesville for about 5 miles at roughly 5500' elevation. Be prepared for uneven ground.

History. Art. Bees. Orland has plenty of each. Spend a couple of hours exploring all three in one afternoon. The Alta Schmidt House Museum houses many historical artifacts, documents, and photos. The Orland Arts Center and Gallery has a new exhibit every three months, plus other events almost monthly. The Honeybee Discovery Center is a great learning experience for schoolchildren, but also for all other age groups. Check out the Story Walk in Library Park when walking between the venues.

An herbarium is a collection of preserved plant specimens. This class offers a unique hands-on learning experience as an introduction to the art and science of mounting plants. The class will cover how herbarium specimens are mounted, handled, processed, stored, displayed, and repaired. It is useful, but not necessary, to have visited an herbarium before.

Are you wondering if some of your friends are part Neanderthal? Was Herb Caen correct when he intimated that Chico is the cradle of civilization? We'll address these questions after a brief introduction to such topics as DNA, natural and artificial selection, and genetics. We can even discuss the question of whether or not we're still evolving and where our species might be heading regardless of the outcome of the next election.

Dick Scott first spoke to his primary care physician about his suspicions in March 2026. Fortunately, treatment is now available, and he had his first infusion 10 weeks later in June. Therapy and life changes are currently progressing without complications. He will give you information you can use to be your own, or another's, advocate in living with this disease. Fellow member Alex Marcus, a neurologist and psychiatrist, will join Dick in discussing this important topic.

The Upper Butte Basin Wildlife Area, Llano Seco Unit hosts massive numbers of Pacific Flyway migratory birds in November. Taking our sketchbooks, binoculars, field guides, and cameras, we'll meander along the 1/2-mile walking trail and stop at two observation platforms allowing us to observe and quickly sketch bird poses and behaviors. We'll identify key species: green-winged teal, American wigeon, northern shoveler, mallard, pintail, bufflehead, snow geese, white-fronted geese, swans, ring-necked ducks, sandhill cranes, and raptor species.

Get an introduction to California native plants and basic botany in the field as we saunter in search of California native wildflowers.

The vast majority of insect species live solitary lives, with interactions among individuals largely confined to mating. Yet there are a few groups of insects –all ants and termites, as well as some bees and wasps – that live in colonies with individuals specialized for different tasks. Depending on the species, these colonies can be made up of anywhere from a handful of individuals to millions of them. As a result, these social insect groups make up a major fraction of the insect biomass on earth. Their ecological impact is equally important. In this class we will examine the ecology, evolution, and behavior of these insects as well as their effects, both beneficial and deleterious, on human societies.

This class is for non-medical people who have questions about heart-related diagnoses or procedures. The explanations will use diagrams, analogies, and simple language to help you understand how the heart works. This is not a lecture about how you should live, but more on the effects of lifestyle choices.

California Master Gardeners provide educational outreach from University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) offices throughout the state. The mission of the Butte County Master Gardeners is to extend research-based education and technical assistance throughout the non-commercial gardening community and to foster successful gardening practices by helping individuals make informed decisions about plants, pests, and the environment, with an emphasis on sustainability. Join us as we address a wide range of fascinating subjects.

Join us in visiting the Feather River Fish Hatchery in Oroville to learn about Chinook salmon returning to the Feather River at the height of fall spawning season. We will visit both sections of the Feather River Fish Hatchery: the spawning room, hatchery, and rearing ponds on the west side of Table Mountain Boulevard; and the fish barrier dam, observation platform, and underwater viewing on the east side of Table Mountain Boulevard. We will walk about 3.5 miles.

Can certain foods improve memory? Can what you eat actually lower your risk of Alzheimer's disease? In this class, ASU Clinical Nutrition Professor and Registered Dietitian Tina Shepard shares what the latest research says about how food and lifestyle choices affect the brain and how specific nutrients impact cognitive function and overall brain health. You'll leave with practical, evidence-based dietary recommendations you can start using right away.

Your mouth is the front door to your whole body – and what happens there can add years to your life or quietly take them away. In this class, Dr. Kevin Kremer from OLLI sponsor New Smile Now shares what most people are never told: how gum health, missing teeth, and chronic infection connect to heart disease, diabetes, dementia, and longevity. You'll leave with simple, practical habits to protect your health, your independence, and your smile for decades to come. No jargon. Real answers.

The giant planet Jupiter has captivated astronomers, scientists, and inquisitive minds for centuries. From Galileo's first telescopic observations of four its moons in 1610 to exploration by today's cutting-edge spacecrafts, Jupiter has proven to be one of the most scientifically rich objects of investigation in our solar system. This class takes participants on a guided journey through decades of exploration, drawing on data from NASA's Pioneer, Voyager, Galileo, and Juno missions. We will investigate the physics, geology, and astrobiology of the Jovian system and confront one of science's most tantalizing questions: could life exist in our own cosmic backyard?

Expansive views and interesting rock formations will be some of the highlights of this moderate, high-elevation hike (3 miles round trip, 200' elevation gain). The trail is well-traveled, with gradual steady ascents and descents. Our path will follow the Pacific Crest Trail through a regenerating fir forest, burned in the 2021 Dixie Fire, to our lunch spot nestled amid remnants of 3-million-year-old stratovolcano Mount Yana. Our pace will be leisurely as we enjoy and learn about the flora and fauna along the way.

While some people might consider "recreational mathematics" an oxymoron, this class will pursue the enjoyable aspects of math. Be prepared to be an engaged participant in this class with interactive demonstrations and exploration through drawing, cutting things with scissors, and other activities. Most activities will have a historical context. This class will show you how to find interest, enjoyment, and appreciation of mathematics in the world surrounding you.

This class, the second in a sequence based on Yuval Noah Harari's Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, focuses on the Agricultural Revolution, one of the most consequential and most debated transformations in human history. The class traces the emergence of villages, cities, kingdoms, and empires, examining what farming made possible and what it cost the people who adopted it. Along the way we consider how hierarchies, laws, and religions emerged as tools for holding complex societies together, how writing transformed human memory and administration, and how Harari builds his case that the Agricultural Revolution was not a liberation but a trap. Throughout the class, particular attention is given to separating well-established evidence from interpretation and informed speculation.

Throughout history scientific progress has often advanced in dramatic bursts following long periods of dormancy. This class examines the revolutionary discoveries that transformed our understanding across the major branches of science: mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy, and geology. Topics include the rise of the Copernican universe, atomic theory, plate tectonics, Darwin's theory of evolution, and Newton's laws of motion and gravity. The emphasis is on historical perspective: why did these breakthroughs happen when and where they did? This class is for scientists and non-scientists alike.

We all know that as we age our mobility declines. Changes in strength and flexibility certainly affect our balance. But what is the purpose of the vestibular system with regard to balance? What are common disorders involving the vestibular system and how can we improve vestibular function as we age? This class will review the anatomy and function of the amazing vestibular system, as well as discuss the functions of the other primary systems – vision and somatosensation – for optimal postural control.

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.