Mississauga residents can sit in on Harvard lectures, National Geographic presentations
Published February 7, 2023 at 5:11 pm
Mississauga residents who’ve always wanted to sit in on lectures at Harvard University or get up close to National Geographic experts and their fountain of knowledge can do so free of charge simply by heading to the library.
Mississauga Library is now offering a popular, online lecture series called “The Great Courses” where those who sign up can learn from award-winning experts from respected institutions such as the Smithsonian, National Geographic, the University of Toronto and Harvard University.
“Are you interested in taking a class with some of the world’s greatest professors without essays, exams or homework? Try ‘The Great Courses,’ a popular lecture series now available from Mississauga Library,” City of Mississauga officials said in a news release today (Feb. 7).
The online lecture series is offered free of charge with a Mississauga Library card.
“There are thousands of hours of educational video courses and documentaries ready for you to explore on a wide variety of topics including architecture, history, food, mindfulness, robotics, travel, photography, literature and more,” officials say.
Interested in diving deeper into the mysteries of the universe?
Videos
World-renowned American Prof. Neil deGrasse Tyson’s course, The Inexplicable Universe: Unsolved Mysteries, offers “a marvelous journey to the frontiers of the known (and unknown) universe and introduces viewers to tantalizing questions being addressed by the world’s top scientists,” library officials explain.
More of a history buff?
Turning Points in Modern History is a course “that takes you on a far-reaching journey around the globe to shed light on how two dozen of the top discoveries, inventions, political upheavals and ideas since 1400 have shaped the modern world,” the City says.
“These 24 thought-provoking episodes start in the early 15th century and culminate in the age of social media to reveal astounding threads that weave through the centuries.”
Others might be more interested in human behaviour, library officials note.
For them, there’s an opportunity through the library’s lecture series to explore why people have bad moods, why they long for the foods, fashions and music of their youth, and why they have vivid dreams.
“Understanding our humanity is one of the deepest mysteries in science. But fields including biology, neuroscience, anthropology, psychology and sociology are starting to reveal more about the mechanisms of human behavior-and just how intriguing the human species truly is,” officials say.
And for those with a keen interest in the outdoors, “The Great Courses” joins forces with National Geographic to present Wonders of the National Parks: A Geology of North America.
“Beautifully illustrated, these 36 half-hour lectures take you to more than 100 spectacular sites guided by geologist and former college professor Ford Cochran, who is currently the director of programming for National Geographic Expeditions,” the City says.
Those interested in the topics mentioned above or any other topics can search “Mississauga Library online courses” and then register online.
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