We'll begin with the origin of the universe starting with the Big Bang, show how stars were and are still being formed from cosmic dust, examine ways to calculate the distance to stars and galaxies, and touch on dark matter and dark energy. Closer to home, we'll explore how plate tectonics moves the top layer of the earth, how bonds in chemical elements make rocks and graphene, and finally show the relationship between climate and types of soil beginning here with Ohio.

Moderators: Rick Takanen is a 16-year OLLI member and currently serves on the Board. He graduated from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts. He retired from GE Aviation in 2009. Richard Longshore, MD, is a graduate of XU and Univ. of Louisville College of Medicine. He is NOT a geologist or astrophysicist, but has a keen interest in what is around us.