PHYCS 1410 - The Clock in the Sun

Treats the history of the discovery of sunspots and the solar cycle as a case study on the effect of a prevailing culture on science and the impact of new scientific ideas on culture (including the spin-off of pseudo-scientific ideas to other disciplines). Considers the impact of the discovery of sunspots and the solar cycle on our understanding of the sun and its interaction with earth, and will examine the supposed effect of the solar cycle on the stock market, health, and the weather.