What actually happens below the surface of the earth? What happens to an electron when we squeeze it and what does that mean for the geology of our world? What even is olivine? It might just seem like a bunch of rocks and magma down there, but trying to figure out exactly what those rocks are and how that magma moves is a long standing challenge for science. In this class, we’ll share some anecdotes from this field and leave you with some open questions still unanswered. Before we can begin delving deep into the earth, we’ll also give you an introduction to the field where most of our intuitive tools come from: high pressure science. The most fun aspects will likely be easiest to appreciate if you have a basic background in chemistry and physics, but we’ll try our best to cover any prereqs as we go.

"Quantum" is one of those words that can seem mysteriously futuristic and frustratingly confusing. Lucky for us, we don't need rigorous (and intimidating) math to begin to unravel the mystery that quantum mechanics can sometimes look like. A broad, conceptual overview of quantum mechanics will be given, with a particular focus on real experimental results that reflect some of the unintuitive parts of quantum theory.

Science can be a messy process but has the remarkable ability to course-correct and reorient itself over time. We'll take a closer look at a few examples of times that science has been led astray in the past and how the work of diligent scientists sealed these cracks. In each case study, we’ll ask the question of why it occurred - from innocent mistakes to malicious deception. You should hopefully walk away with a new appreciation for the scientific community, or at least some incredibly niche gossip.

"Quantum" is one of those words that can seem mysteriously futuristic and frustratingly confusing. Lucky for us, we don't need rigorous (and intimidating) math to begin to unravel the mystery that quantum mechanics can sometimes look like. A broad, conceptual overview of quantum mechanics will be given, with a particular focus on real experimental results that reflect some of the unintuitive parts of quantum theory.