Science is full of surprises. Dyes, accidentally discovered, launched the modern pharmaceutical industry. A failed experiment opened the door to new physics. A geologist studying Earth’s age ended up taking on the oil companies to ban leaded gasoline. These stories remind us that discoveries are never just dry facts. They are moments of creativity, struggle, and chance, with consequences that ripple far beyond the laboratory. In this course, we will explore the human side of science, situating breakthroughs in the context of their times and tracing how they reshaped both knowledge and society. Along the way, we will tour centuries of discovery across biology, chemistry, physics, and more, asking not just what was found, but how it was found, and why it still matters today.

Note: Registration for the Spring Osher National Online courses will close on Friday, March 20, 2026, at Noon!
          Osher Online courses are not recorded.