2007 Handbooks

What is Science? How have influential thinkers such as Einstein and Darwin shaped our view of the world? This unit presents a big picture of science as a great triumph of the human mind and imagination. Scientists have given us a powerful framework for understanding our world from the microscopic scale to the scale of the whole universe. PHYS242 will give you an up-to-the-minute tour through the tradition of science, from cosmology and the universe through the mysteries of quantum phenomena to nanoscience and nanotechnology, from atoms to the evolution of life itself. Through looking at the tradition of science, you will gain an understanding of the power and dynamism of scientific knowledge.

The unit will provide intellectual enrichment for both science and non-science students. Detailed learning objectives and web-based notes are available. Assessment is by written assignments; there is no final examination.