Description
Societies are organized around the dependable change in seasons. From the long nights of winter, to the planting of crops in the spring, to the endless days of summer, to the harvest festivals of the fall, each season has enjoyed a special meaning throughout human history. The result of one of the most dramatic events in Earth’s 4.6 billion year history, seasons follow from our unique geometry with respect to the Sun, and reflect the redistribution of solar energy around the planet. Geographic features like mountain ranges, coastlines, and ocean currents further modify the climate in a way that makes each season unique and location-specific. Now, with climate change, some features of each season are becoming more extreme and less predictable. During this class, we will discuss the basic causes of the seasons, and explore the geologic processes throughout Earth’s history that have influenced their expression.
