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Although it has been centuries since the discovery of Uranus and Neptune lurking at the edge of the solar system, we still know very little about these ice giants. Kathleen Mandt, a planetary scientist at NASA’s Goddard Research Center, highlights what we do know about Uranus and Neptune, why it is imperative that we send a mission to learn more about them, and what that information could tell us about the rest of our solar system—and beyond.
Do you know the stories behind delectable Chinese American dishes—such as the connection between scallion pancakes and pizza? Drawing on her new book, Chinese Menu, Newberry and Caldecott honoree Grace Lin shares the tales behind favorite Chinese American food, from fried dumplings to fortune cookies. Rooted in history and folklore, the delightful stories are filled with squabbling dragons, magical fruits, and hungry monks. Journalist Lisa Ling joins Lin to uncover the rich histories of these dishes. Although Lin’s book is for young readers, this delicious conversation is for foodies of all ages.
In 15th-century Florence, Sandro Botticelli created the masterpiece La Primavera, a mythological allegory that encapsulates the very essence of spring. At first glance it seems a straightforward celebration of the season, but its precise meaning continues to intrigue art historians, who have found within it references to neoplatonic ideas and the literature and poetry of Dante and Ovid. Art historian and author Laura Morelli explores the cultural and artistic context that gave rise to Botticelli’s meditation on a lush and fertile world. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
Surgeon and author Andrew Lam reveals how the rivalries between Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch, Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin, and the quartet of doctors who warred over credit for the discovery of anesthesia harmed each individual but benefited humankind and saved millions of lives.
Why does Johann Sebastian Bach’s music remain deeply relevant to our times despite having been composed 300 years ago? Because it draws on all shades of timeless human emotions. The composer’s religious cantatas—poetic and musical commentaries on sacred texts associated with specific dates on the Lutheran liturgical calendar—are vivid showcases of that complex emotional understanding. Singer Thierry van Bastelaer examines the sources of their power and their significance in Bach’s output.
In addition to producing incredible and complex wines, Languedoc is a leader in sustainable viticulture and forward-thinking responses to climate change. This delicious exploration of regional wines led by sommelier Erik Segelbaum explores the profound impact Languedoc has had in the global wine world. The immersive program includes a curated personal tasting kit to enhance the experience.
Over the course of the last century, the work of two architectural giants, Frank Lloyd Wright and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, responded to nature in very different ways influencing other architects as well as builders and clients. In a three-part series, architectural professionals examine how contemporary architecture draws on the legacies of these groundbreakers in structures that integrate nature and eco-friendly considerations into their designs. This session highlights 21st-century architecture. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
Working primarily in New York City in the late-19th and early-20th centuries, artists George Bellows, William Glackens, Robert Henri, George Luks, Everett Shinn, and John Sloan realistically depicted what they saw. Their paintings didn’t glamorize or prettify but captured the city with its gritty underbelly exposed. Art historian Bonita Billman explores the unvarnished truths they revealed about modern life. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
When the Constitutional Convention ended on Sept. 17, 1787, the battle over the Constitution had just begun. Federalists advocated for a strong central government; Antifederalists sought for power to lie within the states. Historian Denver Brunsman describes the battle of ideas and tactics that surrounded the process to ratify the Constitution and the patterns of political debate that persist to this day.
For the U.S. Navy, World War I was the first significant test of an armed force branch billed as “second to none.” Could it rise to the challenge in the clash of powerful forces that had engulfed Europe? Chris Rentfrow, director of the Navy Museums Division at the Naval History and Heritage Command at Washington Navy Yard, examines the growing role of the Navy during early decades of the 20th century and the critical role its forces played in WWI.