2012: Astronomy Apocalypse
Readings, Discussion Questions &
Homework Questions
Lonely Planets by David Grinspoon
and
Demon-Haunted World by Carl Sagan
Monday, Dec 3: Lecture – Read Grinspoon Ch 20, 21
HQ:
1. Where does Grinspoon go to find alien witnesses in Colorado?
2. What is pseudoscience?
3. What is the Face on Mars?
DQ:
1. What is the strangest thing you ever saw in the sky? What did it look like? What did it
do? What did YOU do? If you had to rank it from 1 to 10 in UNEXPLAINABILITY (with
1 being “mildly odd” and 10 being “Act of God or Aliens” what number would you give
it and why?
2. Why is the Face on Mars an example of pseudoscience?
3. Why would NASA scientists hide the “proof” of alien life on Mars or visitation to Earth?
Wednesday, Dec 5: Discussion – Demon-Haunted World (both pdfs on
website) Ch 4: Aliens, Ch 10: The Dragon in My Garage.
HQ:
1. What does Sagan think is at the root of most alien abduction stories?
2. How are aliens, and by extension the Mayan Apocalypse, like an invisible dragon?
DQ:
1. Are we alone in the Universe?
2. How do you, yes YOU, tell the difference between what to believe, and what to ignore?
How do you tell the difference between alien abductions, global warming, Mayan
apocalypse, asteroid Armageddon, and on and on?
Friday, Dec 7: Review in Lab, Sunrise Calendar Due
Monday, Dec 10: No class (Self Study)
Thursday, Dec 13: Noon. Exam 3