Catalog Search Results
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 22
Language
English
Description
In this episode, investigate cosmic antigravity, starting with cosmic inflation, a phenomenon that exponentially increased the size of the universe during the big bang. Then, learn why dark matter cannot be made of ordinary protons and neutrons, and explore the recent discovery that the expansion of the universe is accelerating, powered by a mysterious dark energy inherent in space itself.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 59
Language
English
Description
Trace the discoveries that led astronomers to conclude that the universe began some 14 billion years ago in a big bang. Detailed measurements of the cosmic microwave background and other observations point to an initial period of tremendous inflation, followed by slow expansion and an as-yet inexplicable accelerating phase.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 14
Language
English
Description
Probe the mystery of the Great Blue Hole, an enormous submerged sinkhole ringed by a coral reef off the coast of Belize. Study the processes that create sinkholes, and investigate the nature of karst topography, which is produced by the erosion of limestone.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 2
Language
English
Description
Understanding physics is as much about language as it is about mathematics. Begin by looking at how ordinary terms, such as theory and uncertainty, have a precise meaning in physics. Learn how fundamental units are defined. Then get a taste of the basic algebra that is used throughout the course.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 12
Language
English
Description
Pound for pound, the supercell is the most powerful thunderstorm on Earth. Explore the mechanics of this system, which produces the strongest straight-line winds, the most violent tornadoes, and the largest hail. Close by looking at the formation of a record-breaking hailstone weighing almost two pounds!
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 4
Language
English
Description
Use concepts from the previous episode to analyze motion when an object is under constant acceleration due to gravity. In principle, the initial conditions in such cases allow the position of the object to be determined for any time in the future, which is the idea behind Isaac Newton's clockwork universe.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 34
Language
English
Description
In this introduction to magnetism, discover that magnetic phenomena are really about electricity, since magnetism involves moving electric charge. Learn the right-hand rule for the direction of magnetic force. Also investigate how a current-carrying wire in a magnetic field is the principle behind electric motors.
8) World's Greatest Geological Wonders: 36 Spectacular Sites: Uluru/Ayers Rock - Sacred Nature of Rocks
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 17
Language
English
Description
Go to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park in Australia to inspect two popular attractions shaped by erosion: Ayres Rock, known locally as Uluru, and the Kata Tjuta rock domes. Trace the history of moving plates, rising and receding seas, and constant weathering that created these impressive structures.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 9
Language
English
Description
It's one of the most famous puzzles ever invented. But Professor Benjamin has an easy-to-learn, eight-step method for solving this mind-bending puzzle quickly and accurately-every time. After examining the mathematics behind the cube, you'll follow him step-by-step through an algorithm that will have you solving any Rubik's Cube in less than three minutes.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 2
Language
English
Description
Discover the origin of Earth's great variability in air temperature, and learn how it also explains the seasons. Search for the highest and lowest temperatures on the planet, and the locations with the greatest difference between highs and lows. Along the way, encounter the deadliest weather on Earth.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 9
Language
English
Description
Begin your study of musical rhythm by distinguishing periodic from non-periodic rhythmic patterns. Periodicity can be thought of as beat; non-periodicity involves expressive techniques such as timing variations and phrasing. Close by asking whether composers write music in the rhythmic patterns of their native language.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 20
Language
English
Description
This lecture's cases illustrate how sports-related injuries are treated in emergency departments. You'll encounter a softball player suffering from a concussion, a young boy's dangerous eye injury from a haphazard game of lawn darts, a teen rescued from a near-drowning event, and a golfer's stubborn poison ivy rash.
13) World's Greatest Geological Wonders: 36 Spectacular Sites: Rock of Gibraltar - Catastrophic Floods
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 22
Language
English
Description
The Rock of Gibraltar marks the gateway from the Mediterranean Sea into the Atlantic Ocean, a connection that has been closed on and off through recent geologic time. Explore the currents, catastrophic floods, and drastic sea-level changes that have occurred at the strait of Gibraltar and throughout the Mediterranean basin.
14) Black Holes, Tides, and Curved Spacetime: Understanding Gravity: Spacetime Tells Matter How to Move
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 16
Language
English
Description
See how gravity affects Minkowski's spacetime geometry, discovering that motion in a gravitational field follows the straightest path in curved spacetime. The curvature in spacetime is not caused by gravity; it is gravity. This startling idea is the essence of Einstein's general theory of relativity.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 44
Language
English
Description
Embark on the final section of the course, which covers the revolutionary theories that superseded classical physics. Why did classical physics need to be replaced? Discover that by the late 19th century, inexplicable cracks were beginning to appear in its explanatory power.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 9
Language
English
Description
From routine childhood vaccinations to the experimental vaccines given to Ebola patients in Africa and the United States, vaccines have a powerful effect on public health. Learn the facts about the four different types of vaccines and their components, and discover why the concept of herd immunity is critical to public health.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 13
Language
English
Description
For the rest of the course, focus on the revolutionary view of gravitation launched by Albert Einstein. Review new ideas about fields that allowed physics to extend beyond Newtonian mechanics. Then see how Einstein modified Newton's laws and created the special theory of relativity.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 17
Language
English
Description
Pain is a frequent chief complaint in emergency departments. This lecture brings you up close with patients suffering from acute and chronic pain, including the common complaint of back pain. These cases help you better understand everything from pain medications-and the dangers of overuse-to how pain affects the way the brain works.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 15
Language
English
Description
Emergency department doctors should always assume every patient has a life-threatening illness-even though only 10% to 20% actually do. How do doctors manage this healthy paranoia? And how do they prepare themselves and their patients for the worst outcome while planning for the best?
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 5
Language
English
Description
Take a closer look at three emergency department cases-a urinary tract infection, a broken leg, and a bellyache-with a twist. How were these diagnoses determined? Not through expensive tests or advanced imaging, but through paying attention to the story, even when it isn't truthful.