Interested in the environment? Are you partial to the planetary sciences? Are you looking to give your career a jumpstart? It’s never been easier to learn about those subjects you've been curious about, but never had the means or time to explore further. Now, all you need is an Internet connection and a thirst for knowledge.
edX is a non-profit website that offers free education courses on a bunch of subjects from over 110 of the world’s top universities and institutions. The courses range from introductory to university level, all taught by leading researchers and experts in the field. You can also attend the classes from the comfort of your home with just a few hours of your time each week. So what’s your excuse?
Check out a selection of their free courses below, ranging from the Earth sciences to astrophysics to science communication. In just a few clicks, you can start learning today!
Astrophysics: The Violent Universe
When it comes to unimaginably powerful forces and astronomical explosions, it does not get much more mind-blowing than the field of astrophysics. This self-paced course from the Australian National University gives an intermediate look at some of the most deadly forces and grand objects in the known universe, from neutron stars and white dwarfs to supernovae and even hypernovae.
Alexey Suloev/Shutterstock
Antarctica: From Geology To Human History
Victoria University of Wellington are offering you the chance to explore the coldest, driest, windiest, and coolest (no pun intended) continent on Earth: Antarctica
This course offers lessons on Antarctica's 500 million years of geological history, as well as an insight into the 250 years of human and scientific exploration of this mysterious land. It also features virtual field trips and video lectures straight from Ross Island and the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica.
Climate change is undoubtedly one of the biggest and most controversial issues of our time, so it’s never been more important to know the facts behind it.
Instructors from the University of British Columbia will give you the skills to understand and evaluate the latest science on climate change, as well as provide key expertise on ways in which to communicate the scientific and human issues surrounding climate science to a wider audience.
Sensing Planet Earth – From Core To Outer Space
This introductory course tells you everything you need to know about the different ways scientists use Earth observation tools, whether it be from space, aircraft, or on the ground. With the help of course instructors from Chalmers University of Technology, you’ll learn all you need to know to use, understand, and apply valuable observation data about our planet.
This Hubble Space Telescope image shows Supernova 1987A. Credit: NASA, ESA, R. Kirshner and M. Mutchler and R. Avila (STScI)
Greatest Unsolved Mysteries of the Universe
There's no greater mystery than the universe. Just think, we don't really know what most of the universe is even made of. Through this Australian National University course, you'll learn many of the great questions raised by modern astrophysics and understand why we're so close, yet so very far, from answering them.
Question Everything: Scientific Thinking In Real Life
When you boil it down, science is simply a way of looking at the world. However, it doesn’t just stop at scientific exploration, you can apply this way of seeing to all kinds of situations. This University of Queensland course shows how science can help you critically think about and appreciate the world around you. It’s also perfect preparation if you’re a high school student looking to further your interest in mathematics and science.
"Be more like this guy." Shutterstock
