Faculty: Liz Banks
Description: The natural world is full of wonder and ridiculousness. There are many things we don’t understand, but we’re learning more every day. In this class, we’ll explore the language of color in nature. After learning about the basics of human vision and how we see color, we’ll explore a range of topics, including: how camouflage works in the animal kingdom, how animals “can change colors,” what it means that a mantis shrimp has 16 cones in its eyes, whether dogs are really colorblind, if the color red makes bulls angry, and how bees find honey. Beyond the animal kingdom, we’ll look at stars and find out what we can learn about them from their color, what’s happening when we see an aurora borealis, and how each element glows a different color. In nature, we’ll discuss what planets are telling us when they change colors, why plants are green to begin with, and whether we might be able to use the color changes in trees to detect decaying bodies beneath them. In short, we’ll look at color and its usage and function in several different aspects of nature
Meeting Information: 01/04/2021-01/26/2021 On Campus Jan Term Course Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Section Requisites: Estimated Out Of Pocket Expense: $30