IN PERSON: Light. It’s all around us, but what is it? The universe is composed of stuff (matter) and light. Light, whether we’re bathed in it or in the dark, has many meanings for us. But what is light? Our class will talk about visible light and all the other radiations: radio waves and microwaves, infrared, X-rays and gamma rays. We will discuss where these radiations come from, their properties, how they act on the stuff in the universe, including us, and what happens when we get an X-ray, MRI or PET scan. We will talk most about visible light: how incandescent and LED light bulbs work, how lasers work, why too much sun can be dangerous and how nature’s wonderful light display (the rainbow) works. This course will be pitched to everyone — those with science backgrounds and those without. There will be lectures but with lots of class discussion. | Lecture + Q&A.
Max enrollment: 20.
Location: Judea Reform Congregation, 1933 W. Cornwallis Rd, Durham NC 27705
