GEORGE NEWS - The University of the Third Age (U3A) is hosting its usual interesting variety of lectures at Emmaüs in Memorium Street.
On Friday 5 May, Case Rijsdijk will present the sixth lecture of the astronomy course and his topic is "The darkness of big words".
This lecture will look at how we think our knowledge of the Universe all started and how it might end, and the fact that we are still in the dark about most matter!
He will also take a brief look at cosmology, a subject that started off as a speculative topic that is now an exact observational science. The talk starts at 10:30.
Challenge from Cape to Zanzibar
In Armchair Travel on Wednesday 10 May, Desireé van der Vyfer will present "My Wakati challenge during December 2017". Desireé participated in the Wakati Reality Challenge in December 2017. Wakati is a Swahili word meaning time.
The challenge was to travel from Cape Town to Zanzibar on 50 dollars per day, only using public transport wherever participants needed to go.
Twenty-nine teams competed for the grand price of $15 000. Each team consisted of three people. The teams collected points in various ways, completing daily puzzles, solving riddles, and using as many types of public transport as possible.
The first team to arrive in Zanzibar was not necessarily the winning team. Desireé's presentation is focused on the efforts of their team, Kweli Heri, to reach Zanzibar.
Anyone who liked watching The Amazing Race will most certainly enjoy her story. This talk starts at 10:30.
How do we know what we know?
On Friday 19 May in the astronomy course, Case Rijsdijk will explain "How do we know what we know? - fingerprinting the Universe".
With the rapid advance in technology, the rate of collecting data has increased enormously, and managing it has become a science in its own right.
Rijsdijk will briefly look at the tools used that help us to know what we know. The lecture starts at 10:30.
On Monday 22 May in the Digiclub meeting at 14:00, the topic is leaves. The U3A digital camera club is an informal club, yet with an ultimate goal to look, listen, learn and enjoy photography.
Members of the public are welcome to attend a Digiclub meeting as a visitor at any time, at an entrance fee of R20 for non-members of the U3A. Members pay R10 per meeting. Anyone interested to be part of this vibrant group of people, may contact Roza Barnes at rozabarnes@gmail.com.
U3A also has a website where more information is available.
Burchell's African Odyssey
On Friday 26 May, Marion Whitehead will deliver a lecture titled after her and Roger Stewart's book, Burchell's African Odyssey. The book covers the life, adventures and achievements of this noted naturalist. The illustrated lecture will focus on Burchell's wanderings in the Garden Route in the 19th century, collecting species.
Whitehead has worked in the media for many years and is an author and freelance photojournalist. She now lives in Bathurst, close to where Burchell collected his clivias. Tea will be at 10:00 and the lecture starts at 10:30.
On Monday 29 May, Case Rijsdijk will present more interesting International Affairs for discussion. This meeting starts at 14:00.
Development of Norga River Nursery
In the general meeting on Wednesday 31 May, Morné Lochner will talk about the development of the Norga River Nursery.
In 2011 it moved to a new site and currently has over 900 different plant species. For keen gardeners, this talk should be of great interest.
Tea is at 10:00 and the lecture starts at 10:30.
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