New York University 3 credits Core: Colloquium
It is a material most of us barely think about but can’t live without. How has sand come to form the very foundation of modern civilization? What can sand teach us about human history, ingenuity and culture and what does our dependence on it mean for the planet and our future? After water, sand is the most used resource on Earth. It is the core ingredient in concrete and glass and is used in everything from toothpaste to paint. Sand transforms sunlight into electricity through crystalline silicon solar panels and is essential in the production of the microchips that power our digital lives. The story of sand also has a dark side, one that is polluting rivers, wreaking havoc on the ocean floor, and giving rise to a violent black market. This course takes up William Blake's challenge to see the world in a grain of sand. By tracing the footsteps of our ancestors to the present through folklore, architecture, art, and industrial design, sand will offer students a unique window into human history, invention, and culture. Classroom sessions will be complemented with studio workshops in art and design and a study trip to Al-Ula and the Hegra sandstone archeological site in Saudi Arabia.
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