The humble fruit fly is a ubiquitous model organism found in research laboratories the world over. Learn about principles of genetics with a deep dive into what makes Drosophila melanogaster so popular amongst scientists, and gain insight into the unique culture of caring for and working with flies.

Take a tour through plant mythology from different cultures, adopting plants as role models and mentors with the goal of becoming a better living being.

Puzzle through the what, why, and how of illusions by making your own! Experience the illusory power of the human mind firsthand in this interdisciplinary class. Covers everything from Plato's Allegory of the Cave to phantom limbs.

Proteins and enzymes are really important. Like, you would not be alive without them, and they are really interesting too. Want to learn why it's so hard to predict how proteins fold, why life might have originated from enzymes made of RNA, or how to make recombined proteins that cure cancer? Join to dive into the world of molecular biology. We will have a protein folding video game (Fold-It) competition at the end.

This class will evaluate the validity of "old wives' tales" and also take a look at various scientific failures throughout history. Our goal is to understand the importance of being critical about our sources of knowledge while also maintaining an open mind when it comes to scientific methods and different types of evidence. The topics discussed will provide a broader picture of how science relates to our cultural values.