Technology   

A scintillating review of current themes in the media will be discussed in each class. Class members present a topic, discuss it, then open the floor for discussion and debate. Poetry, literature, scientific discovery, and educational progress are examples of the issues addressed. Special guests are welcome to present.

We will explore the subject of human enhancement and consider the social implications of the alterations humans are capable of making to themselves and others. Whether a tattoo, the consumption of a drug designed to boost performance, or the surgical alteration of the body, we have a rapidly advancing ability to alter our biology and, in so doing, to challenge cultural norms and potentially threaten long-established social structures. Is this hubris? Do alterations offer the promise of enhancement or threaten peril? Join the discussion!

This class is an introduction to any version of Apple's iPhone. We will cover the basic structure and functions of the iPhone as well as how to navigate your device using your voice and fingers. The class consists of lectures and hands-on exercises. Most importantly, you will learn how and where to find the answer to the all important question, "How do I…?"

Because the Sun is now near the peak of its 11-year cycle, sunspots are in the news these days. The Chinese observed sunspots with the naked eye around the tenth century. In 1611 Galileo and Harriot employed telescopes to study them. Their existence, proving that celestial bodies are imperfect, was not welcomed by the Catholic Church. Sunspots, huge storms on the Sun's surface, eject clouds of energetic ions that, if they reach Earth, create auroral phenomena. Such storms routinely disable communication satellites and can disrupt electric power systems. A repeat of the Carrington Event of 1859, the largest known solar storm, could seriously damage electric power transmission equipment and require costly repairs.

We will continue to explore the new developments in medicine and biotechnology and how they impact our health and well-being.

The class will present a brief history of the disposal of trash through time, regulations affecting the disposal of trash, and the history of the Neal Road Recycling and Waste Facility (landfill). Learn about the recycling and diversion of wastes from the landfill, landfill operations, monitoring, amounts of waste disposed, as well as effects of disasters, electrical power generation, equipment used, and the future of landfill and related topics.