Unfortunately, the most exciting and important developments in the last century of science are not being taught to young people, supposedly because they are too complex. As just one example, very few high schools teach relativity or quantum mechanics, and so — tragically — students graduate with an understanding of physics that is outdated by over a century.

After five years of teaching this course, we are delighted to report that curious teenagers are entirely capable of understanding the latest developments in science. In our 18 class meetings, we will expose students to the most exciting frontiers of current science — from physics to biology and from ecology to psychology. Instead of getting bogged down in complicated math and technical details, we will focus on the big picture of what these revelations suggest about the nature of the universe and our place in it.