This was a spring course given at the Berkshire Institute for Lifetime Learning in Massachusetts. Here are the topics covered.

Three Centuries of Civilization – The evolution of our present golden era from the Middle Ages to the present day. The strong connection between civilization’s progress and cheap, available energy.

Oil, Gas, Coal and Their Essential Place in the 20th Century – The exciting evolution from wood to coal to oil/nuclear/gas forms of energy.

Global Warming: Do We Yet Know Where the Truth Lies? – The burning of fossil fuel creates a host of environmental contaminants. Compelling voices on both sides of the issue of whether we now need to curtail the use of fossil fuels will be presented.

Nuclear Energy: Blessing or Curse? – Nuclear energy provides about 20% of electrical energy worldwide yet no new reactor has been put in service in the U.S. for more than 20 years. We will focus on recent design progress and the status and substance of the concerns surrounding nuclear power.

Those “Renewable Energies:” Do We Really Need Them? – Many forms of energy might be commercialized. The list includes wind, solar and hydro power, tides, biomass, heat from the Earth and expanded water power.

Are We on the Threshold of a Major Supply/Demand Crisis? - Many perceive that we will be passing through “Hubbert’s Peak” in oil with this decade and that the world’s increasing demand will no longer be able to be satisfied, even at higher prices. The world’s oil, coal and natural gas supply and demand will be examined.

Are There Yet More Golden Eras to Come in the Decades Ahead? – Can humankind rise to the enormous technical, political, environmental and economic challenges awaiting us so that our grandchildren will also bask in the light of this Golden Era?