A new free OpenLearn course is to take people on a journey of discovery to explore a range of scientific fields and gain a deeper understanding of topics such as space, time and infinity.
It’s based on the book “What We Cannot Know” by celebrated mathematics Professor Marcus du Sautoy, who has helped design the 24-hour long course.
The Oxford academic, who features in videos on the course, also holds the title of Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding of Science.
OU philanthropist made it possible
Open University Honorary Graduate David Dangoor, a major educational and scientific philanthropist to the OU, funded the course, Understanding Science, what we cannot know, and made it possible.
He said:
“Marcus du Sautoy always makes science accessible and exciting. This book is a novel way to broaden understanding of science by going to the frontiers of knowledge.
“I believe it deserves the widest possible audience and that combining the insights of this book with the OU’s unique expertise in communicating knowledge to students would give it an extra dimension. I hope this might prove an additional way for the OU to use good books to boost its contribution to lifelong learning.”
New readers for the big ideas in science
Professor du Sautoy said:
“I am so excited to share this amazing journey to the edges of scientific knowledge. The course is a fantastic introduction to the big ideas of science, from the very big to the very small.
“I have really enjoyed working with the brilliant team at The Open University who have brought the course to life. It is great to give readers of my book “What We Cannot Know” a chance to dig deeper into the ideas they will have encountered and to introduce the book to new readers.
“None of this would have been possible without the wonderful inspirational support of Dangoor Education. To infinity…and beyond.”
The Open Educational Resource can be used by students, teachers or people who just want to have a deeper understanding of science including probability, particle physics, quantum physics and consciousness.
Exploring the boundaries of our current knowledge
Jane Roberts, head of OpenLearn, said:
“The OpenLearn team were delighted to have the opportunity to work with Marcus du Sautoy and our academic colleagues to produce this fantastic new free badged course, based around the themes of Marcus’s book of the same name.
“Learners enrolling on the course can find out about the history of scientific discoveries and explore the boundaries of our current knowledge in a broad range of scientific areas. Those successfully completing the course can earn themselves a statement of participation and digital badge – all for free!
“We would also like to acknowledge that the course is dedicated to the memory of OU mathematics professor Uwe Grimm, whose enthusiasm and expertise led its production.”
