Charles Darwin arrived in Cape Town on 1^st June 1836 near the end of his four-year round-the-world voyage on the HMS Beagle. Although he was exhausted, Darwin made important geological observations during his short stay. In this illustrated online conversation, we will discuss the many places of interest on the Cape of Good Hope that Darwin visited, as well as some of the interesting people that he met.   (For other Destination programs, see:  Class #616, #635, and #664) 

Physicist Erwin Schrödinger made many great contributions to science, most famously his “wave equation” that became a central part of quantum physics. Like Einstein, Schrödinger never was entirely comfortable with the physics he helped to create, and in discussion with Einstein, proposed the famous thought experiment of a cat simultaneously dead and alive. This talk will describe Schrödinger’s eventful life, the substance and impact of his physics, along with his contributions to other fields. The course will largely be non-technical and include references which participants may explore.

Before the Greeks and the Romans, the Mediterranean saw the rise of several ancient civilizations that continue to dazzle historians and visitors alike. These include the Sumerians, Babylonians, Egyptians, Minoans, Mycenaeans, Phoenicians and Carthaginians. We’ll explore the highlights of these ancient cultures.

Join us for Friday Reflections with Peter Bolland as we go deeper to reveal the wisdom hidden just beneath the surface of our everyday lives. New themes, questions, and readings every week.  (For more Friday Reflections, see class #620, #638, and #667)

Ralph Vaughn Williams was born in a small village near Cardiff in 1872. He had a long and successful musical career. As a Romantic English composer, he celebrated the beauty and creativity of the United Kingdom’s rich history, including the music of King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth, English folk melodies, and ballads and poetry. His music is lovely, evocative, and charming. This is a special hour indeed!  (For more Friday night music programs, see class #624, 669, 679, 698, 706.)

Does communicating with your loved one frustrate you? Is there a better way to reach a person with neuro-cognitive difficulties? This program will give you real-life tools you can use as you navigate the difficulties of being a care partner.

Hominids have walked the Earth for six million years.  About 30 thousand years ago, there was an explosion in the archaeological record of mobile and parietal art – figurines and cave painting. This evidence of symbolic behavior suggests that humans were thinking differently from before. Humans transformed from being just anatomically modern to being cognitively modern as well. This transformation in human behavior placed our species on the trajectory for the successive transformations in human society that have brought us the level of progress we enjoy today. (This two-part lecture is about Paleolithic Art and Cognitive Archaeology.)  For other classes in the Revolution series, see class #681 and #701.

Broadcast TV and Cable TV have traditionally provided in-home media to US households. We are experiencing a new paradigm in home entertainment as households are discontinuing their cable TV contracts in favor of streaming options, such as Netflix and Amazon.  In this class we will examine: •Technical details of how traditional cable, over-the-air TV and streaming options work, including Internet access and wi-fi. •A comparison of the major streaming devices: Roku vs Apple TV vs Smart TV •Content providers: Netflix, Hulu, YouTube TV etc.

At the heart of many of the world’s wisdom traditions lies the idea of enlightenment. But what is it exactly? Is it a state of consciousness? Is it a religious experience? Is gained only after years of arduous spiritual discipline and practice, or is it a simple and ordinary shift? Do we have to be a Buddhist or a Hindu to experience it? Join us as we comb the scriptures and practices of Hinduism and Buddhism for answers to these and many other questions.

So your car’s odometer hasn’t even turned 1000 miles this year and your passport’s gathering dust. Is there a silver lining to travel in the age of COVID? Absolutely: fewer crowds, different options than you may have considered, more reservation flexibility, etc. Consider a “staycation” beyond your own Puerto Backyarda, relive vacation memories, plan for yournext trip (start taking Peruvian cooking lessons on YouTube!). Explore some good options (and face some tough realities) with Travel Specialist Barbara Paulson.

Over the past 70 years, the United States transformed from a relatively wholesome and nourishing food system, to what a critic might call a “Cheez-Whiz food culture,” laden with fats, sugar, and ultra-processed unhealthy foods. How did this come to be? And is it really that bad?

Père Lachaise is Paris’ great monumental cemetery, with fabulous tombs and many famous “residents” along its shady paths. Oscar Wilde’s tomb (frequently covered in lipstick kisses) is the most visited in the cemetery, but there is plenty more to see, including the tombs of Chopin, Proust, Sarah Bernhardt, Gertrude Stein and Alice Toklas, Colette, Maria Callas, Edith Piaf—even Jim Morrison. In this talk Professor Lear will show you around the cemetery and tell you their stories.

Join us for Friday Reflections with Peter Bolland as we go deeper to reveal the wisdom hidden just beneath the surface of our everyday lives. New themes, questions, and readings every week.  (For more Friday Reflections, see class #620, #638, and #654)

Do you remember reading popular books like Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, Tom Swift, and the Bobbsey Twins?  These were all products of the Stratemeyer Syndicate, a book packager founded by Edward Stratemeyer in 1905.  Through ingenious methods, they produced some 1,400 volumes between 1905 and 1985 in both famous and obscure series. They helped to establish a large market for reading series books that attracted many competitors. This presentation will introduce or perhaps reintroduce, you to this fascinating organization and its many beloved productions.

Aaron Copland is an American treasure. The spirit of our land permeates his music. He is often referred to as “ the Dean of American Composers.” Awarded a Pulitzer Prize, an Academy Award, a Congressional Gold Medal, and a Presidential Medal of Freedom, his creativity is indeed exceptional. And his music has a warm heart: Fanfare for the Common Man, The Lincoln Portrait, Appalachian Spring, and many more. An hour celebrating his music will enrich your day!  (For more Friday night music programs, see class #624, 656, 679, 698, 706.)

Shakespeare wrote The Tempest in retirement and the character of Prospero is often seen as a stand-in for the playwright, controlling those onstage. When he gives up his powers and "drowns his books" he is giving a farewell to theater.  There are also often parallels drawn to the exploration and colonization of America that was happening at the time.  Join Professor Kim Keeline as she discusses this lyrical Romance and takes a look at this "Brave New World" and what role Miranda, Caliban, and others play in it.  (For another Shakespeare Play Analysis, see class #690.)

This lecture highlights the roles and everyday life of Mesoamerican women and how they lived before the European conquest, particularly in the region of the Valley of Mexico before 1492. This is an informative lecture covering topics from birth to death: gender relations, marriage, childbirth, and the vital roles “Aztec” women played in society.

(Note earlier time this month!) Join Oasis staff for updates, socializing and more.  And a special guest!