Archaeoastronomy is the “science of stars and stonesâ€. It is an interdisciplinary science in between architecture, archaeology, and astronomy. It studies the relationships between the ancient monuments and the sky, in order to gain a better understanding of the ideas of the architects of the past and of their religious and symbolic world. The course provides the first … [Read more...] about Archaeoastronomy
History
Big History – From the Big Bang until Today
Welcome to this Big History course! In this course, renowned scientists and scholars from the University of Amsterdam and beyond will take you on a journey from the Big Bang until today while addressing key questions in their fields. After completing this journey you will have developed a better understanding of how you and everything around you became the way they are today. … [Read more...] about Big History – From the Big Bang until Today
Understanding Einstein: The Special Theory of Relativity
In this course we will seek to “understand Einstein,†especially focusing on the special theory of relativity that Albert Einstein, as a twenty-six year old patent clerk, introduced in his “miracle year†of 1905. Our goal will be to go behind the myth-making and beyond the popularized presentations of relativity in order to gain a deeper understanding of both Einstein … [Read more...] about Understanding Einstein: The Special Theory of Relativity
The Cosmopolitan Medieval Arabic World
Did you know that Arabic was for centuries the lingua franca in an area stretching from the south of Spain to the Chinese border? Did you know that the Middle East under Muslim rule in those days was the world’s beating heart of trade, but also of science and scholarship? Did you know that Islam in its formative period was heavily influenced by existing cultures in the … [Read more...] about The Cosmopolitan Medieval Arabic World
Ideas from the History of Graphic Design
This condensed survey course focuses on four key periods or themes from the history of design in the West. Together we’ll trace the emergence of design as a recognized practice, why things look the way they do, and how designers approached specific design problems in their work. Students will develop an understanding of where the wide variety of today’s design practice … [Read more...] about Ideas from the History of Graphic Design
