Physics, broadly the study of motion and interaction in nature, captivates as much as it bemuses. As a centuries old “hot topic,” physics today is filled with thriving research in quantum information, cosmology, planetary astrophysics, nonlinear dynamics, and countless others subfields. Yet the subject is often cloaked with inaccessible jargon, with the big picture ideas obscured behind seemingly insurmountable prerequisites and confounding pseudoscience.In this class, we qualitatively summarize the broad and vibrant landscape of physics as it is today.

Though the course will contain some mathematical asides for completeness, students will only be expected to understand the physics at a qualitative, conceptual level. In general, this course will emphasize broad concepts and large results with little regard for mathematical detail. As such, this class should be accessible to all students of any year and major. Though there are no enrollment restrictions, physics majors (especially upper division students) are slightly discouraged from taking this course as it will generally reiterate concepts from the standard physics curriculum.

The course meets twice a week on Monday (5:00-6:30) and Wednesday (5:00-6:00) starting on Wednesday, 4 September 2019. Coursework comprises weekly problem sets, readings, and a crystallizing final paper.

To enroll, students should fill out an online enrollment application on the DeCal website. Students will then be admitted by the discretion of the instructor. There are no prerequisites for this course.