The Fermi Paradox and First Contact Science Fiction
In this one-time course, we will explore proposed solutions to the Fermi Paradox and depictions of First Contact encounters with aliens in sci-fi literature, movies, and TV.
Dr. Matthew Hall
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:(34)
What's included
1 live meeting
55 mins in-class hoursClass Experience
US Grade 6 - 9
This course is intended for home school students at the high school level. It is a one-time, summarized version of my 12-week course. As such, it can serve as an introduction to learners who might be interested in a more robust learning experience. The following groups of students should find this course particularly useful: those interested in pursuing careers in astrobiology, specifically, or astronomy more generally; those interested in sci-fi, specifically, and literature more generally; and anyone more casually interested in the depiction of aliens in pop culture.
Learning Goals
To introduce, understand, and examine the Fermi Paradox and the search for extraterrestrial life and civilization.
To understand the different categories of proposed solutions to the paradox.
To identify and compare depictions of 'first contact' in pop culture and sci-fi literature.
Other Details
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Sources
Regarding the Fermi Paradox itself:
Stephen Webb, If the Universe Is Teeming with Aliens ... WHERE IS EVERYBODY?: Seventy-Five Solutions to the Fermi Paradox and the Problem of Extraterrestrial Life 2nd ed. 2015 Edition.
First contact sci-fi literature, short stories and short novels:
Arthur C. Clarke, Childhood’s End
Ted Chang, The Story of Your Life
H.G. Wells, War of the Worlds
Joined January, 2022
5.0
34reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
I have a Ph.D. in International Studies and several years experience teaching undergraduate political science courses at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. I also have a lifelong obsession with the Fermi Paradox and am currently completing the final edits of the first novel in a comedic first-contact sci-fi trilogy. Additionally, as a social scientist, I will leverage the topic of pseudoscientific UFO conspiracy theories to demonstrate the need for critical thinking and a scientific approach to open questions.Reviews
Live One-Time Class
$16
per classMeets once
55 min
Completed by 4 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 11-15
3-18 learners per class
