Arlington Community Education

Come ponder the universe’s vast wonderland. Begin by putting everything into perspective with a grand tour from Earth to the Big Bang, then examine the lives of stars and the key role they play in the creation of the elements that comprise our world. We will also discuss the simplest yet scariest objects of all, black holes. Then we’ll look at the variable sky, especially new “movies” of the sky being made and the crazy celestial menagerie they reveal. In the final session, learn about NASA’s amazing Chandra X-ray Observatory, right here in the Boston area. Learn about the recent discoveries Chandra has made during its two decades in orbit. Specifically designed to investigate very hot regions of the universe by resolving celestial X-ray sources with unprecedented precision, Chandra has greatly advanced the field of X-ray astronomy. See how its discoveries have illuminated exploded stars, clusters of galaxies, and the doomed matter around black holes.

Become informed and armed with a deeper understanding of climate change and how you can get involved. Each week we will examine a different facet of this complicated issue. Walk through the history of the Earth’s climate, starting with an overview of the natural climate processes from ice age cycles to volcanic eruptions. Discover what scientists know and how they learn about the Earth’s climate, and explore strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the small scale (drive less) to the very large scale (geoengineering). Co-sponsored by Mothers Out Front and Sustainable Arlington

Join this two-night workshop and learn all about online tools available to help find and add people to your family tree. Discover how to find sources, confirm that the source matches the person in your tree, and attach the record to that person. On the first night we’ll use familysearch.com (free) and ancestry.com (trial or paid) accounts. The second night will be dedicated to online newspaper sources. Explore how to best locate census, marriage and announcements, and death records. We’ll also explore how to expand your tree by adding other people in records. Prepared examples will be supplied for the first part of class, then there will be time to practice working on locating records requested by those in class.

Americans waste a staggering amount of food—about 40%. Learn about the impact of food waste on the environment and climate change as we discuss ways to reduce the amount we waste both as individuals and as a community. Discover how to determine which foods that are past their prime can still be consumed rather than discarded, and learn how to prepare meals with these items that might otherwise be wasted. Cook along with the instructor or simply watch and learn how to use stale bread and overripe pears or other fruit in your pantry to prepare muffins and bread and butter pudding. Hosted by a member of Food Link who will describe the important work they do and how you might get involved. Co-sponsored by Food Link, a food rescue non-profit in Arlington and the Arlington Chamber of Commerce. Food Link is a community organization that rescues fresh food, alleviates hunger, and contributes to environmental sustainability. We envision a food system without waste, in which everyone has enough.