THE DARK SIDE OF THE UNIVERSE: THE GREAT COSMIC MYSTERIES FROM BLACK HOLES TO DARK ENERGY
Some of the greatest mysteries of the cosmos reside in what astrophysicists call "the dark sector". This course explores the nature of black holes, dark matter, and dark energy, which show us nature at its most extreme, taking you from the warping of spacetime and the launching of plasma beams around black holes to the acceleration of the cosmos that indicates the presence of some yet unknown form of energy. Learn about the fundamental laws of nature that govern everything from GPS satellites that enable navigation apps on your cell phone to the birth and ultimate fate of the universe.
Prerequisites & course information
Requisites: None Course Designation: Core GenEd - Natural Science & Wellness Breadth - Physical Science Level - Elementary L&S Credit - L&S Liberal Arts and Science Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Spring 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Evaluate hypotheses to explain astronomical observations Audience: Undergraduate 2. Write basic scientific prose for a variety of lay audiences Audience: Undergraduate 3. Understand and apply--qualitatively--the scientific basis of Newtonian Gravity and Relativity Audience: Undergraduate 4. Understand and apply the basics of cold-dark matter big-bang cosmology Audience: Undergraduate 5. Understand and articulate evidence for dark matter, dark energy, and black holes Audience: Undergraduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Evaluate hypotheses to explain astronomical observations Audience: Undergraduate 2. Write basic scientific prose for a variety of lay audiences Audience: Undergraduate 3. Understand and apply--qualitatively--the scientific basis of Newtonian Gravity and Relativity Audience: Undergraduate 4. Understand and apply the basics of cold-dark matter big-bang cosmology Audience: Undergraduate 5. Understand and articulate evidence for dark matter, dark energy, and black holes Audience: Undergraduate
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027