Science and Technology   

Africa, home to 54 countries and more than a billion people, has a troubled heritage. Arid conditions and high temperatures have long acted as a cauldron for drought and starvation, with millions dying in recent decades. The most recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) described the African continent as the one that will be most affected. Already tens of millions of Africans are feeling the negative health impacts of climate change that will have a disturbing effect on the entire planet.

In this class we will learn the history of flood control in the California's Central Valley. The efforts to control the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers over time, beginning in the 1800's through today, will be studied. How flood control policy developed in California, and how policies have changed over time will be examined. Structural and institutional methods of controlling floods will be analyzed, and the resulting environmental and economic impacts will be discussed. Local efforts and impacts will be a specific subject of interest.

With the fast pace in technology such as smart phones, smart watches, tablets, browsers, and social media, the senior community has become a target for online shenanigans. The risk of losing money, reputations, and even identity is a real and impending danger for everyone. Yet, there's no option to stay off line while business is increasingly being conducted online. This Part I class explains the dangers and the techniques to stay safe online and to protect privacy. Part II will explore in details the Microsoft, Google, and Apple ecosystems, what they are, how they help or hurt, and what to do about them.

New energy sources provide hopeful alternatives to fossil fuels for a pollution free future. Synhelion is a new process that uses the sun to produce solar fuels. Another promising process turns humid air into energy. The first fusion power plant (SPARC) in under construction in the US. Gravity batteries are being developed. Lithium is being produced from old oil wells in Pennsylvania. Solid state batteries are a promising source of energy, but they will need more work to be a viable for automobiles.

California's water conveyance system is one of the largest in the world. This class will explore why it was constructed, ongoing operational challenges, and future limitations. We will learn about the hydrologic cycle and how California's climate and geography limit water resources. We’ll examine competing water uses over time, and study the State Water Project and the Central Valley Project. Key legal, environmental, economic, and political considerations will be discussed, along with future proposed changes to the system.

This one and a half hour course will focus on the beauty and Geology of the Grand Canyon. The Colorado River has cut into the earth here leaving an open book of geologic information from the oldest rocks nearly two billion years old to its erosional history still going on today. Professor Hilton learned about the canyon from his experience hiking into the Canyon with students and later as geology river guide with eleven trips along the 250 mile length of the canyon.

The geology, use and value of gold are important aspects of this mineral, but there is also a wealth of history, fun and exploration added to the finding and mining of gold. This lecture has “golden” facts about the world’s most cherished mineral, including how to find and pan for gold, and where some of the world’s richest deposits are located.

Is the world warming? Is our climate changing? Are humans causing the rapid increase in temperatures we are seeing? Are the increases in extreme weather events and catastrophic fires influenced by climate changes? Yes, yes, yes, and yes. Climate scientists have been monitoring these changes for decades, but there has been much dispute over their findings. This course addresses the following questions so people can better understand the changes we are seeing: What is global warming? What is climate change? Why is it happening? How do we know this? What do detractors say? What can be done about it? After this course you should be better equipped to understand the issues surrounding climate change.

Imagination and creativity produce inventions. We’ll look at the people and stories behind 26 inventions, one for each letter of the alphabet, A to Z!

Octopuses are the subject of myth and mystery. They are beautiful and remarkably intelligent. In this class we will explore the anatomy and physiology, reproduction and lifespan, behavior, intelligence and ecology of octopuses in deep and shallow water. We will explore their close aquatic relatives and learn about the history of the mystery and myths of these strange creatures.

Dry Creek Watershed links Sacramento and Placer Counties and flows through Newcastle, Loomis, Rocklin, Roseville, Antelope, Rio Linda, and Sacramento. We'll investigate its geography, the historic and ongoing impacts of people, and the wildlife and plants that populate the river system, with a focus on migrating salmon. Dry Creek Conservancy, a volunteer organization dedicated to protecting the watershed will also be highlighted.

From the rainy Northwest to the snowy Sierra, California’s rich watery resources have provided both natural riches while yet fostering intense and unending political wrangling. Learn whence the water emerges, where it flows naturally, and the mind-boggling engineering transfers from watershed to watershed. Can 40 million Californian's share the wealth?