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- 20640 The Physics and Chemistry of Turkey Roasting
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Dates: 11/16/2026 - 11/16/2026
Times: 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM
Day of Week: M
Sessions: 1
Building: Unity Church Unitarian (opens in new tab)
Room: Parish Hall
Instructor: Ed Cussler
Fee: $0.00
Modality: In-Person
Seats still available: 46
Do you or someone you know plan to roast a turkey this November? Did you know there is a science behind this? Empirical rules in cookbooks suggest times and temperatures for roasting turkeys. These rules can be predicted from the physics and chemistry of turkey flesh. Doing so shows how science can be used to correlate, predict and extend knowledge to other situations, like cooking a dinosaur!
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- 20654 RNA Breakthroughs: What is RNA and What Can it Do?
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Dates: 11/18/2026 - 11/18/2026
Times: 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM
Day of Week: W
Sessions: 1
Building: Online
Room: Zoom
Instructor: Aaron Engelhart
Fee: $0.00 (if any, due after allocation)
Biochemistry converts DNA genomes into RNA, and this RNA gets transcribed into protein. Since the 1990s, we have learned that this is only part of the story. Scientists have found that RNA does much more than carry information. It can regulate expression of genes, act as an enzyme, and bind to specific targets - just like proteins - and each of these roles has been engineered in the lab. This course will provide a short survey of some of the surprising new roles researchers have found for RNA.
Course is Full. Click on Add to Waitlist below if you want to be added to the waitlist.
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- 20646 Exploring the Past, Present, and Future of Mars Expeditions
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Dates: 11/3/2026 - 11/17/2026
Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Day of Week: Tu
Sessions: 3
Building: Online
Room:
Instructor: Fred Rose
Fee: $0.00
From Martians building canals to human travel, we have long dreamed of life on Mars. Our knowledge of Mars has changed dramatically since the turn of the century, making now the perfect time to explore. This three-session course covers the evolution of our understanding. Session one will explore Mysterious Mars: the early history and early mission successes and failures. Session two will explore Rovers on Mars: the advanced rovers and their groundbreaking findings. Session three will explore Humans on Mars: the realities of travel, living, and ethics of exploration in space. All are welcome; no previous space travel required!
REGISTRATION FOR THIS CLASS IS CLOSED. This class is already in session.
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- 20650 Science in the News
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This course examines how scientific discoveries move from research settings into public discourse. Focusing on the themes of scientific literacy, media literacy and societal impact, we will examine the processes that connect scientists, journalists, policymakers and the public. Recent news stories in areas such as cancer, genetics, climate science and AI serve as case studies to critically evaluate how scientific findings are communicated in the media. No class on November 12th.
REGISTRATION FOR THIS CLASS IS CLOSED. This class is already in session.
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- 50196 Birds and Botany on the St. Paul Campus
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Dates: 11/4/2026 - 11/11/2026
Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Day of Week: W
Sessions: 2
Building: U of M, St. Paul Campus
Room: CBS Conservatory
Instructor: Jane Glazebrook
Fee: $10.00
In-Person
On Nov 4, we will visit the Raptor Center for a program in which Raptor Center staff show live birds. Afterwards, we will go into the area where the birds are kept. On Nov. 11th, we will visit the College of Biological Sciences Conservatory. The staff will show us the public display gardens and talk about the Conservatory. Then, we will visit the research collection and do a treasure hunt. There may be an option to join lunch outings after each session (own expense). Course Full and Waitlist Closed.
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