Earth Science in the Cinema
Academic Noncredit

Earth Scientists study a wide range of provocative subjects with real-world implications for society, from evolution and extinction to natural disasters. Unsurprisingly, many of these subjects are also of interest to movie-makers in Hollywood and beyond, whose exciting thrillers sometimes do justice to the science and sometimes make a mess of it. This course explores current Earth science research themes in the context of film. Each week centers on a feature-length film and the science behind it, including presentation of the current state of the science, critique of the movie’s depiction of the science, and discussion of societal implications.

This noncredit class meets with a regular University of Utah credit course.