The past 10 years has seen an explosion in our understanding of the contents, formation and evolution of the Universe. Changes in our fundamental physics, combined with discoveries from space and ground-based telescopes, have led to a radically different model of our place in the Universe and its origins.
Cosmology is the meeting point of observational astronomy, philosophy and particle physics.
However, unlike philosophy, cosmology engages Nature providing a foundation based in observation and experience. To explore the properties of the objects that make up our Universe. To formulate a coherent philosophy for interpreting the observational evidence of the hot Big Bang and relating this worldview to new areas of research. This is a 4-credit, introductory astrophysics course for science majors with an emphasis on problem solving. The class meets three times a week for one hour.