Conducted in terms: 2022/23Z, 2022/23L, 2023/24Z, 2023/24L, 2024/25Z, 2024/25L, 2025/26Z, 2025/26L

Erasmus code: 13.3

ISCED code: 0531

ECTS credits: 3

Language: Polish

Organized by: Faculty of Chemistry

Oops, something went wrong - about “accident”, "catastrophes" and “bad luck” in science 0600-OG-UPS

The course is addressed to female students who want to broaden their knowledge of issues related to the understanding of the role of discoveries/inventions (both positive and negative) in the surrounding world, their impact on the development of human civilization and the scientific basis the issues discussed. The author of the lecture will answer, among others, the following questions and discuss the following topics:
1. Presentation of basic concepts: scientific research, invention, scientific discovery. Discovery or invention? A short history of discoveries and inventions. Archimedes – Eureka. Monty Python's Flying Circus. Music video. Money. A happy coincidence. Dynamite. Vulcanization. Chewing gum. Scleroderma. Turnips. Mimicry.
2. How to see something that cannot be seen. The structure of matter. Model of the structure of the atom. Periodic table of elements. Colourful dizziness. X-rays, radioactivity, nuclear energy - a chronicle of mistakes.
3. X-rays, radioactivity, nuclear energy - a chronicle of mistakes. Radioactivity. Cold fusion. Thermonuclear power plants. Fusion reactors. Neutrinos are faster than light? What does a stove have in common with microwaves?
4. Development of cartography. Geographic "discoveries". Operation Nile. Whites in Africa. Flat Earth. Archaeological problems. Canals and water on Mars.
5. Chips. Sweet. Sweeteners. Vanilla sugar/vanillin sugar?! Ice lolly. Breakfast cereals. Champagne. Coca-Cola/Pepsi-Cola.
6. Plastic – plastics. Polystyrene. Nylon. Kevlar. Teflon. Spring. K-drone. Play dough—disposable diapers. Sanitary pads. Toilet paper. Porcelain. Matches. Fireworks. Mineral water.
7. Penicillin. The Curse of Tutankhamun. The curse of the Jagiellonian. Catch up with the bacteria. Superbugs. Problems with the synthesis of new drugs. Antibiotic remedy for everything. Drug resistance. Thalidomide. Viagra. Scurvy. Vitamin C.
8. Mimiviruses. Puerperal fever. Vaccine. Typhus. Polio. Tuberculosis. Viagra. Addyi. Nanomedicine.
9. Anesthesia. Homeopathy. Structured water. “Miraculous” waters. Loaded in a bottle.
10. Errors in space. Failure is not an option. Programming errors. Lead in human life - from antiquity (aqueducts) to lead in gasoline. Freon. Mad Hatter's Disease. Minamata disease. Thimerosal. Salt. LZ-129 "Hindenburg" disaster. Airplane vs. car. Fuel crisis.
11. Chernobyl disaster. Fukushima. Tsunami. Tunguska meteorite. Semipalatinsk training ground. Bikini Atoll.
12. 7 Wonders of the Ancient World. 7 views that we will no longer see because people destroyed them. The fall of civilization. Great London smog. PM2.5. Disaster in Bhopal. DustBowl. Aral Sea. Fire on the Cuyahoga River. Rabbits in Australia - how to combat the plague. Extinguishing a fire with gasoline.
13. Mile perch. Kudzu. Wróbelek – Elemelek. Soviet genetics. Species that were placed where they shouldn't be. The "alien" invasion continues. Legal drugs. Amphetamine. L.S.D. Yellow fever. Strychnine – activated carbon. Papa smurf. Insulin.
14. The five-second rule. The Ig Nobel Prize, or about scientific research that first makes you laugh, then makes you think, and about discoveries that cannot or should not be repeated. Darwin Award - why it is worth studying at school. Evolution in action. Unnatural selection. Survival strategy. Urban legends. Golden raspberry. Taxes/NOT(taxes). Absurd taxes. Nobel Prize – strange cases. Left out of Poland.
15. Where else could humanity use "bad luck". About "disasters" that humanity should avoid. "Test on a living organism." Mouse utopia. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Space junk. Nanoplastic. Biomimetics. Lessons from the creative process.

The lecture will be illustrated with numerous presentations.

Total student workload

Hours realized with the participation of teachers (hours): e.g. - participation in lectures - 30 - consultations with an academic teacher - 10 Time devoted to individual student work (hours): e.g. - preparation for the lecture - 5 - reading literature - 15 - exam preparation - 15 Total: 75 hours (3 ECTS)

Learning outcomes - knowledge

W1: Knows the primary sections of chemistry, biology and physics. (K_W01, K_W02, K_W03, K_W04) W2: Knows and understands the interdependence between the individual components of nature and their impact on the surrounding world.(K_W01, K_W02, K_W03, K_W04) W3: He knows the basics of natural sciences (understands concepts and laws), terminology and chemical and biological nomenclature, and physics and astronomy.(K_W01, K_W02, K_W03, K_W04) W4: Describes the various types of materials, their properties and applications. (K_W01, K_W02, K_W03, K_W13) W5: Can characterize the properties of a compound based on its structure, describe the unique properties of matter, and identify the most critical aspects of the development of technology and science.(K_W01, K_W02, K_W03, K_W13)

Learning outcomes - skills

U1: It consolidates the basics of chemical knowledge acquired in high school, basic definitions, chemical and biological nomenclature, and physics and astronomy. Uses the acquired knowledge to critically analyze the impact of civilization changes on the surrounding world. (K_U01, K_U03) U2: Critically analyzes the acquired knowledge. He can critically assess the effects of human interference in the environment and proposes appropriate solutions to prevent or eliminate adverse effects. K_U08, K_U11, K_U12, K_U14) U3: Can independently prepare a presentation on materials' structure and physicochemical properties.(K_U08)

Learning outcomes - social competencies

K1: Works independently and efficiently with large amounts of information.(K_K01) K2: Thoughts creatively to improve the existing or create new solutions.(K_K02, K_K05, K_K06) K3: Knows the limitations of his knowledge and skills.(K_K01) K4: Establishes cooperation in a group.(K_K02)

Teaching methods

- informative lecture (conventional) - problem lecture - discussion

Expository teaching methods

- informative (conventional) lecture
- discussion
- problem-based lecture

Prerequisites

„brak”

Course coordinators

Piotr Gauden

Assessment criteria

Assessment methods:
- written exam - W1, W2, W3, W4, W5
Assessment criteria:
Assessment based on a written test conducted on the Modle platform. Written test exam consisting of multiple-choice questions from up to 5 options. Incorrectly indicating the answer is equivalent to 0 points for the question. Correct answer - 1 point - at least 20 questions in the test.
Passing the exam after reaching at least 50% of the points possible, e.g. 10 points for 20 questions. Perfect grade after obtaining more than 80% of the points. The remaining grades proportionally ranged from 50-80% of points.

Practical placement

not applicable

Bibliography

1. P. Atkins, L. Jones, Chemia ogólna. Cząsteczki, materia, reakcje, PWN, Warszawa, 2004.
2. P. Hewitt, Fizyka wokół nas, PWN, Warszawa, 2015.
3. T. Phillips, Ludzie: krótka historia o tym, jak spieprzyliśmy wszystko, Albatros, Warszawa, 2020.
4. T. Phillips, Prawda: krótka historia wciskania kitu, Albatros, Warszawa, 2020.
6. S. Johnson, Małe wielkie odkrycia, SQN, Kraków, 2015
7. E. Pietruska-Madej, Odkrycie naukowe. Kontrowersje filozoficzne, PWN, Warszawa, 1990.
8. A. Grobler, Metodologia nauki, Wydawnictwo Aureus: Wydawnictwo Znak, Kraków, 2006.
9. J. Such, Wiedza naukowa a wiedza potoczna, [w:] B. Kotowa, J. Such, (red.), Kulturowe konteksty poznania, Wydawnictwo Naukowe Instytutu UAM, Poznań 1995.
10. J. Such , M. Szcześniak, Filozofia nauki, Wydawnictwo UAM, Poznań, 2000.
11. M. Brooks, 13 rzeczy, które nie mają sensu, Wydawnictwo Literackie, Kraków, 2011.

Additional information

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of 0600-OG-UPS in USOSweb